Unity
by Twinsnake Coatl
Summary: The Outer senshi take a holiday in New York, where they meet the X-Men. With them, they learn that some threats, come from within ourselves.
1. Unity 1

The following is a crossover fanfic starring Marvel's X-Men and the outer senshi from Sailor Moon. The story combines elements taken from the manga, animation, comics, and the movie.

This fanfic takes place between "Sailor Moon Super S" and "Sailor Moon Stars", given the fact that in the manga, several months pass between the two.

Characters' ages go as follows: Professor Charles Xavier and Eric Magnus (Magneto) are 60; Dr. Henry McCoy (Beast) is 35; Scott Summers (Cyclops), Jean Grey and Mystique are 20; Michiru Kaioh, Haruka Tenoh and Ororo Munroe (Storm) are 18; Remy LeBeau (Gambit), Rogue and other mutant students are around the ages of 13 and 15; Chibi-Usagi Tsukino and Hotaru Tomoe are 12; Setsuna Meioh and Logan (Wolverine) are…umm…your guess is as good as mine.

"Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon" was created by Naoko Takeuchi.

"Uncanny X-Men" was created by Stan Lee and the late Jack Kirby.

*****

****

Unity

Chapter one:

Charles Xavier's school for gifted youngsters:

The professor and Ororo were enjoying a stroll under a warm summer sky. Seeing the children play brought fond memories to the elderly man, and random use of their mutant abilities made him think of a hopefully bright future for all of them. Suddenly his wheelchair stopped, drawing the white-haired girl's attention.

"Are you all right professor?" she asked with concern.

"Yes Ororo, I'm fine. I just, I had a strange feeling just know, as if something very important were about to take place."

"Should I call the others?"

"For something that isn't even a hunch?" Xavier asked with a chortle, "No, there is a difference between readiness and paranoia. It was probably nothing." The girl smiled and they continued their walk.

__

I know you have too many thing to worry about professor, so I'll keep quiet, the ebony-skinned girl thought, _I also feel it in the air something will happen. And if it means us harm, I will stop it_.

*****

A small town in Germany:

A teenage couple walked under the moonlight, they had a very fun evening and now he was taking her home. He wanted to end the date with something very special, but she was reluctant.

"I said no, so please stop insisting."

"Come on, give one good reason not to give you a kiss good night."

"Because I'm afraid," the girl answered, "someone might see us and start a rumor. You know how it is, small facts grow ridiculously out of proportion. Before you know it, we'll be engaged and I'll be pregnant."

"Please. Who gives a damn what others say or believe? We will know the truth." His shoulders slumped. "On the other hand, such a rumor might do this town a lot of good."

"_Wer was das?_"

"You know what I mean," the boy said as he strode to the middle of the cobblestone street, "Nothing ever happens here, everyday is exactly the same. The most excitement I've ever had in my whole life, was accidentally breaking a window with a soccer ball," he took a deep breath, "I'm not asking for much, I just want something to happen." And something did.

Without warning, the ground below exploded, sending the boy several feet away. The girl ran hurriedly to his side.

"Are you all right!?"

"_Ja_, but what the hell is—" he blanched, "that?" Both teenagers saw a dark cloud arise from the broken ground. It was dense and pitch black, it hovered in one place, even though it was windy. And for a moment, they could swear a voice was coming from within. It stood still for a while and then shot up like a rocket.

"Whatever that thing was it was definitely—" she picked up another sound, "There's someone in there!" Ignoring her boyfriend's warnings, she ran into the crater, there, among the rubble, she found an elderly man half-buried. She checked to see if he was still alive and was relieved to see that he was. "Stay here and don't move, okay?"

"Uh," the white-haired man moaned, "Help…must…"

"Shh, don't talk!"

"Warn…Charles…" he managed to say before fainting.

*****

Two days later, Montreal, Canada:

Haruka left the car-rental agency fuming, Michiru followed her with an amused face.

"It's always the same," the sand-blonde growled, "Every time I come to one of these damn places, the good cars are always taken."

"Come now, the van they gave us is a perfectly good vehicle, it is in working order and it will get us to New York quickly."

Michiru was due to perform at Manhattan this weekend as part of a fund-raising concert for Amnesty international. Haruka and Setsuna had free time on their hands, so they decided to come. And since the summer break was just beginning, Chibi-Usa and Hotaru were also invited. The girls were over-ecstatic upon hearing about the trip, the young princess had never traveled so far in this era, and the pale girl's previous frailty didn't allow her to go anywhere.

Setsuna met the couple across the street.

"Did you manage to get a car?" the ruby-eyed woman asked.

"Not according to Haruka's definition," Michiru quipped, "Where are Hime-chan and Chibi-Usa-chan?"

"They're watching the scenery from over there." As they walked, Setsuna noticed that her sister was still grouchy. "Haruka-san, you better wipe that frown off your face, otherwise you'll spoil the children's mood."

"I will, I will, I just wish that storm which caused the plane to go off-course hadn't shown up. How come you didn't see it coming?"

"Che, I'd like to believe that my abilities can be used for something a little more important than weather-casting," Setsuna protested, "But there **was** something unnatural about that storm."

"Hai," the aqua-haired girl agreed, "but when I checked my mirror it showed me nothing. Maybe we should call Rei-chan once we arrive at New York and see what she can find out." The other two outers nodded.

Hotaru and Chibi-Usa were leaning on the guardrail and admiring the Canadian majesty.

"I never thought there could ever be anything so beautiful," the latter confessed, "The closest I've ever got to places like this was through magazines, I've never conceived being here in person."

"I know what you mean." The pink-haired girl rested her chin on her arms, "Blue sky, great mountains, lush forests…" her voice was becoming distant, "Helios…"

"Nani?"

"Jealous! Usagi-tachi will be jealous when I tell them about this trip. It is a big difference to those trips to the beach they always have." Chibi-Usa blushed horribly when Hotaru started giggling.

"It's all right Chibi-Usa-chan, it's logical that you want to be at a place like this with someone special. To be honest, I'm having the same idea."

"Oh?" the small lady narrowed her eyes, "Is there someone you haven't told be about?"

"I was thinking about Momma and Poppa," the amethyst-eyed girl cleared out, "But as long as I'm confessing, I must admit that I would like to be with—" she interrupted herself and shook her head, "Oh, why fantasize? That will never happen."

"Come on Hotaru-chan, I know you'll find somebody soon enough."

"Who? Who could possibly feel anything for a ghost like me?"

Chibi-Usa said nothing else. Her friend had come a long way since her previous life, yet, she still had a very low opinion of herself. The princess had to think of a way to make Hotaru feel more confident, and she was determined not to leave for the future before that.

"Hey you two," Haruka's voice called out suddenly, "hurry up or we'll leave without you."

"Hai," the children replied in unison.

Thanks to her attitude, Setsuna revoked Haruka's driving privileges. The younger ones were grateful for this, otherwise the view would've gone by too fast. The sand-blonde also took it well, a few minutes of travel helped ease her spirit.

"Well, we'll have one full day until the concert and a whole week until we go back to Japan, so we better start planning on what we're going to see."

"I doubt we'll have enough time, Haruka-papa," Hotaru said, "there's the Statue of Liberty obviously; but there's also all sorts of museums, historical sites and a stroll through Central Park."

"We could take a side trip to Niagara falls," Michiru suggested with a twinkle in her eye, "and of course a visit to Macys."

"Umm, hai," the racer turned to the pink-haired girl, "Any more ideas?"

"I'm thinking of places where we can eat," Chibi-Usa answered from the back, "Am I the only one who realizes we haven't had breakfast yet?"

"Don't worry, Small Lady, according to some signs back there, we should be arriving at such a place right about…now." Setsuna stopped the vehicle in front of a small restaurant, from the outside it looked rustic and homelike, the kind of place that make you feel better after a long trip. Only two other cars were parked there, a white sedan and an old jeep, Haruka whistled when she saw the latter.

"Ara, now this is what I call a veteran. It looks like it's been on every road possible." It wasn't her favorite sort of vehicle, true, but she couldn't keep her eyes off it as she went inside.

Chibi-Usa entered and checked out the place, it was small, tidy and cozy. She could see very few people: an old man behind the counter, a teenage waitress, a family of three at one table, consisting of a father, mother and a little blonde girl who wouldn't stay put; and finally, a man sitting alone drinking coffee. For some reason, this last patron drew the young girl's attention. He looked both angry and lonesome, he had long sideburns and his hair grew back and upwards, giving him quite a feral appearance.

"Small Lady, it's impolite to stare."

"Gomen Puu."

By the time Setsuna and Chibi-Usa sat down, the rest were already selecting from the menu.

"I don't see anything I can choose," Hotaru complained, "I'll be full before I even finish half my plate."

"Don't worry 'bout that, Hotaru-chan," her friend said, "I'll be eager to help. Umm, pancakes, waffles, omelets…" she felt a tug on her blouse, "Nani?" the princess looked down and saw the little blonde girl.

"How do you get your hair up like that?"

"Umm," Chibi-Usa reached up to one of her odangos, "Practice I guess."

"Okay!" the little one left, the Japanese girls were quite amused.

"Your English was well pronounced, Chibi-Usa-chan," Michiru complemented.

"Of course," the pink-haired girl boasted, "I'm not like that klutz Usagi. Besides, I'm the princess of Crystal Tokyo, I have to learn to speak several languages."

"Okay hotshot," Haruka challenged, "Here comes the waitress, you can order for everyone." Chibi-Usa accepted the dare and passed with flying colors, leaving most of them satisfied.

"You shouldn't boast like that, Chibi-Usa-chan," Hotaru said, "It doesn't matter how good you are, you'll always find someone—" now she felt a tug, "Hai?"

"How come your eyes are purple?"

"Er, I don't know, I was just born with them."

"Hmm, okay!"

"Eto, Michiru-mama, did I ever act like that when I was little?"

"Hai," the aqua-haired girl answered with a tired sigh, "You questioned us all the time about everything. For example: why my violin sounded the way it did or why Haruka always drove with such a hurry."

"Very funny," the sand-blonde retorted, "Lucky for us, you were a quick learner Hime-chan, and of course, you outgrew that phase quickly. And now it's my turn," she turned to the girl, "What can I help you with?"

"Are you a boy or a girl?"

"Urk."

"Lucy!" the mother called out, "Sit down already and leave those people alone!" The little girl pouted and left, while everyone else laughed at Haruka's red face.

"I'll bet you didn't see that one coming love," Michiru quipped.

"Okay, it's your turn, Puu. What was I like when I was little?"

"Well there's a lot to say," the emerald-haired woman sorted her many memories, "There was the time you—" Glass shattered and a cry was heard.

"LUCY!"

Quickly, the girls went to see what had happened. Thanks to her parents' negligence, the child had run into the waitress, who was carrying a coffeepot. The scalding liquid poured over the child's arm and it was becoming horribly blistered.

"Oh god!" the teenager was a nervous wreck, "Stay here while I get something cold." The little girl was crying uncontrollably while her mother tried to calm her down.

"Shh, shh, it's okay Lucy, we're going to make you feel better, you'll see—Huh?" She saw a shorthaired girl kneel hurriedly and place her hand over her daughter's wound. The small child felt the burning ebb, she looked down and saw a violet glow covering her arm. Before she knew it, she felt a lot better.

"That should do it," Hotaru said with a deep breath, "How do—" She was shoved away brutally by the father while the mother picked Lucy up trying to shield her from that pale-skinned monster. Haruka shot her daughter a glance and saw that Michiru was comforting her, so she now confronted the bully.

"What's the big idea you ungrateful baka!?"

"You keep that little freak away from my kid if you know what's good for you," the bigot hollered, "Or else!"

"Everyone quiet!" the man behind the counter, and owner, piped up, "Sir, if you're going to display such behavior, I'll be glad if you leave now."

"Me? If you had an ounce of proper decency, you should be throwing these creeps out. And for that matter, these japs shouldn't even be at this side of the sea." This last comment got Haruka ready for a fight.

"That does it!" the man from the corner spoke up, he walked up calmly and stood in front of the bigot, "You've just ruined the day for these ladies and, what's worse, for me, so I hope for your sake that you've got enough brains to get out of here, **now**."

"This ain't none of your business runt. Or what are you a mutie lover?"

"And what if I am?" The bigot's response was to throw a fierce punch, which the black-haired man didn't bother to evade nor block. Anyone else would've ended with up a broken nose, because no one else has adamantium bones. The bigot's eyes flooded with tears as he held his swelling hand. "Get out," the man repeated, this time his order was not questioned. The couple got out hurriedly, taking along their confused child.

"Ara," Haruka gasped as she stepped up to her helper, "I've been told to have rocks in my head, but you take the cake."

"I'm used to taking blows. You better get over to your kid now."

"Hai, arigato." The racer went to Hotaru while he came up to the owner.

"Sorry about that Jake."

"Don't worry Logan, we can't help it if bad things happen. But I am thankful that you managed to control your temper."

"What can I say? Your coffee was especially good this morning."

"Are you all right Hime-chan?" Haruka asked worriedly.

"Hai," the violet-haired girl lied, she looked miserable, "You shouldn't make a big thing out of this, I'm used to have these things happen to me."

"Hotaru-chan, that doesn't make it right!" Chibi-Usa protested, "That man had no right to treat you that way, especially after what you did for his daughter. When are you going to realize that you don't deserve this?"

"But it's my fault," Hotaru insisted, "I know the reaction my powers cause and I can't blame people for being afraid." The grown-ups shook their heads helplessly, they had invited Hotaru mostly because of her past. The concert was second in importance, this trip had been planned specially for her. Now, thanks to that imbecile, their daughter was in for a long period of depression.

"Excuse me," Logan called out as he neared the group. Haruka let him pass, though a bit warily, the X-man knelt before the pale-skinned girl. "Are you feeling any better?" he asked in perfect Japanese, Hotaru just nodded. "I overheard what you said earlier, and what matters is that you did the right thing even when you knew you'd get hurt." The amethyst-eyed girl looked up. "Let me tell you what I know, you're going to keep helping people despite their opinion, and I think that makes you a very brave person." Hotaru was surprised, she wasn't expecting such a compliment. She didn't know how to respond, all she managed to do was grant a subtle smile and that was enough for Logan. "There we go." He got up and began to leave.

"Matte," Setsuna called, she caught up with him at the door, "Domo arigato, we had no idea on how to cheer up our Hime-chan. If there's anything we can do for you, just ask."

"Just take good care of your kid. Sayonara." The mocha-skinned woman watched as Logan got into his jeep and drove away. When she got back to the table everyone was back at their seats, and Hotaru was looking a whole lot better.

"You know," Michiru commented, "when I saw that man receive the blow without flinching, I wasn't expecting him to be so sensitive."

"Hai," the violet-haired girl agreed, "I'm ashamed to say this, but when I first saw him at the corner I couldn't help shivering."

"He did have a fearsome appearance," Chibi-Usa seconded, "But somehow, something about him reminded me of you, Hotaru-chan." Everyone stared at the pink-haired girl with surprise.

"Pardon me," the waitress showed up at that moment, "Here are your orders, if you haven't lost your appetites that is," she offered apologetically.

"Arigato," Hotaru replied, "and I'm feeling a lot better now."

"I'm glad," the teenager said as she lay the plates, "Look, I'm really sorry for what happened, and upset. I can't believe how some people don't realize that a person is a person whether she's human or mutant."

"Mutant?" Haruka asked, thinking her little princess had been offended again.

"Yeah, you know, people who can throw beams, freeze stuff, fly or whatever it is she did." The waitress received confused looks. "Wait here." She left and came back with a magazine she handed to Setsuna. New customers entered at that moment. "I gotta go now, enjoy your meal. You can keep the mag."

"'Evolution gone awry'," the article read, the longhaired woman scanned the rest of the article, "Special abilities, DNA alteration, riots, segregation… This is much too one-sided and biased."

The girls began to have their breakfast, while the younger ones planned a fun time in New York, the older ones shared a worried gaze, this trip was taking some interesting turns.

*****

Queens, New York:

"Would you leave your child alone among rabid dogs? Would you leave your child alone with a loaded gun? Would you leave your child alone with a mutant?"

"NO!!" the crowd roared.

A neighborhood rally was being held at an empty lot, with Jack Stevens as the spokesman. He was the leader of a mutant-hating group, and thanks to his charisma, he was gaining more followers with each conference. The mousy-haired man waited for the cheers to quiet down.

"Now, I am not an unreasonable man, I know that the young ones have no control, it's not their fault they're freaks. But what happens when they learn? They will realize, they will **know** that they have enough power to wipe us out, unless we get them first!" More cheering. Stevens made another pause, but was not allowed to speak again.

"You lie and you know it!" Everyone turned to the chairs that were the farthest behind and found a very upset group. "I know you, Jack Stevens, your family came here from Germany to escape persecution. How can you persecute others?"

"Shut the hell up you mutie-lover!" someone yelled, as a matter of fact, the whole crowd was getting ugly.

"People, people, please!" Stevens pleaded for composure. "Sir," he addressed the man he considered to be a traitor, "You and I are pure blooded humans and it is not among us that we should fight. I want this meeting to be a peaceful one, but if my presence is going to cause conflict," he raised his hands, "I'll leave. Goodnight to you all." He abandoned the podium with a few protests and a lot of applause. This very mature gesture was going to earn him a lot more support, and his opponents knew it.

"Are you sure of what you did sir?" his indigo-haired assistant asked, "Many of our followers won't be happy."

"Mike, can you think of a better way to shut someone up than eliminating the discussion? Had I attacked that man verbally, push would've gone to shove and the results would've been disastrous. My political career would've been set back ages."

"Very shrewd sir," Mike admitted, "But you do know that this won't stop violence, some will form a posse and cause a riot somewhere."

"It's true, but they will do so on their own, in no way linked to me. And it doesn't really matter if they think I'm spineless, because all in all, they serve our cause," Stevens' eyes narrowed, "destroy all mutants."

"Well said sir."

*****

Xavier's school:

Michael's prediction was unfortunately accurate. That night the mob went out and vented their rage on the most undeserving targets, specifically, a convenience store and a clinic whose only crime was to put out signs which read 'Mutants welcome'. Scott and Jean were watching this report on the evening news.

"When I was little, I witnessed similar attacks upon other people because of their skin color," the redhead said miserably, "I always knew it was wrong, but I never truly understood what it was like to be on the receiving end, until now."

"I'm not sure I do," her fiancé replied, "I mean, those people are out there, they're vulnerable. We are sheltered inside the school and we've been trained on how to defend ourselves properly." The brown-haired man took a pensive pose, "No Jean, it wouldn't be fair to consider myself within the receiving side." He was granted a kiss and embrace. "What was that for?"

"For being you. Changing the subject, did you buy the tickets for the concert tomorrow night?"

"I managed to get us a theater box. And if I know you right, no one will be paying any attention to the orchestra."

"Flatterer." The couple continued watching the news. "(sigh) At the very least, we'll have a chance to see that the world can give us beautiful things as well."

*****

Underground:

It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say that there is another city underneath Manhattan. The sewers go on forever and there are miles of subway rails that have been abandoned for years, some tracks haven't been used at all. Most people ignore this fact, which makes the underground a perfect hiding place, and two mutants in particular were making good use of it.

"Fifteen bucks in loose change, I don't believe this," a man with stony scars complained.

"Relax Rob, it was just a slow day," his gray-skinned companion replied, "We'll probably get a few more nickels tomorrow."

"A few nickels, a few nickels, they should be begging from US!" Rob exploded, "You and me Cloud, we've been living among the stink since we were children, because people get scared for how we look." His fist turned into magma and he punched away a pipe. "We should give them a real reason to fear us!"

"Don't you mean fear you? All I can do is turn into mist."

"A toxic mist, deadly when exposed to it for long."

"Yeah, that's true. But still, we're only two guys, we can't stand against the whole city."

"We're over a hundred back at the colony, even more if we join with the others. All we need is a little organizing and…BOOM! The humans will have to live as vermin."

"Right! Let them be the ones who beg for scraps," Cloud replied, "In fact, I'm already getting ideas. We strike a bit here, another bit there, just to make them nervous. And the best part is, everyone thinks we're urban myth, the cops will go after mutants living on the surface."

"I knew you'd see it my way old buddy. Come on, let's go tell the rest." The mutant pair ran deeper into the tunnels as they planned their next step. They weren't aware of this, but there was someone, or something, else with them that whole time. And now, it was laughing.

*****

Manhattan, the next day:

Michiru wanted a few hours to relax before the concert tonight. So what better way than to walk through the city that never sleeps? Being the most free-spirited of the outer senshi, the violinist allowed the glamour of the apparels to erase her worry. Haruka accompanied her of course, but due to the fact that she was a stranger in a strange land, the racer was too busy recognizing the terrain to enjoy herself, her priority was to gain the most advantage in a possible confrontation. What's the cause for Michiru's worry and Haruka's readiness? Keep on reading.

"Judging from what that magazine said," the sand-blonde commented, "these mutated people have been around for a few years. How come we haven't heard about them before?"

"We do have to watch out for youmas, daimons and all sorts of invaders. And lightning-fast red goo demands a lot of attention."

"Plus, our first priority is to guard the princess from danger. And now I realize that our methods were our first mistake."

"How so?" the aqua-haired girl wondered.

"We now stand guard against dangers that come near us, previously, we kept an eye out for the ones coming from afar. I we hadn't learned about this now, we probably wouldn't have done so until it was too late."

"Very true, in fact, that was the reason we never associated with the inner senshi back in the Silver millennium."

"Hai." Haruka became pensive. "Maybe it would be for the best if—"

"Don't even think about it," Michiru warned, "Usagi would never forgive us if we did that. And it wouldn't be practical either, we've proven how much stronger we are when fighting alongside the inner senshi."

"And then there's Hime-chan," the taller girl added, "Putting her back into isolation after all the hardship she's suffered," she sighed remorsefully, "that would be too cruel." She shook her head, "Ie, we have to consider new methods instead of going back to the old ones."

"You're a professional racer, and you didn't realize it's best to keep going forward than to go back?" Michiru asked with a teasing tone, "I think I'm going to stop placing my money on you."

"That's cold." They saw a newsstand up ahead. "First thing's first, we make like Ami-chan and learn more about the situation. They stopped at the stand and started searching for a proper source, a headline in particular caught their attention.

"'Spider menace still at large'," Haruka read.

"Don't tell me you actually believe that," the guy said, "It doesn't matter what the 'Bugle' says, Spidey's a hero and everyone knows it."

"Spidey?" Michiru asked as she paid the man.

"Spider-Man. I can tell you're new here so I'll do you some illustrating. To make a long story short, he's one of the many heroes taking care of the city. As a matter o' fact, the world would be deprived of my handsome mug if it wasn't for the good ol' slinger."

"Aren't we lucky," the aqua-haired girl said as she sweat-dropped. Said mug weighted 300 pounds, had an unruly beard, baldness, greasy face and a big nose with a wart in the end. "So, this Spider-Man, is he one of the mutants we've heard about?"

"Well," the bearded man scratched his head, "I guess so, but who cares? What matters is that he saves folks. Why lady, I'll bet ya a million bucks that he'll save either you or your boyfriend before the weekend."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed," Haruka quipped, "Arigato."

The two lovers started walking again, Michiru was looking at the picture on the front page. "Apparently, a fair number of people hold the mutants in high esteem. The girl back at the restaurant had advocated for their rights, and this man admires them for what they do."

"Hai, but don't forget that a circus also appeals to people." Haruka checked her watch, "It's getting late, we better head back if we want to be ready on time."

"Hai, I'll call a cab." Michiru had barely raised her hand when they heard screaming coming from across the block.

"Thieves, stop them!"

They both looked up and saw a bunch of very deformed burglars. They ran into an alley and summoned their rods.

"Uranus, crisis power." "Neptune, crisis power." "Make up!" The senshi leapt to a roof and readied a surprise attack.

"Come on Jenny, get a move on!" A long-eared and long-nosed mutant called as he threw small fireballs at people's feet to keep them at bay. Jenny was an eleven-year-old, orange-skinned girl, she was running out of a place and carrying a sack that was much too heavy for her. Another mutant caught up to her, this one was male and sweating blue goop. He was also carrying a bag.

"Don't give up kid, the manhole's just up ahead."

"U-huh," the child barely responded.

"Neither of you is going anywhere."

"What?" The trio looked up and saw two sailor-suited girls standing on top of a lamppost.

"We know little about you, but this we cannot allow," Uranus began.

"There's a chance that you will eventually become a threat to our princess, so we will stop you before that," Neptune completed, "Deep submerge!" Her attack was aimed towards the fire-thrower, he was barely able to defend himself.

"Damn it! Now we gotta deal with suited-up goons?" He threw a larger fireball at the senshi but they jumped away before it hit. The wind senshi ran and jabbed at their attacker, Neptune decided to take care of the gooey one.

"Stay behind me Jenny!" The substance gathered in his hand and he threw it at the ocean senshi, scoring a direct hit. The stuff wasn't harmful, but it hardened quickly, leaving Neptune nearly paralyzed. Her water-based power was capable of dissolving her bonds, but it was going to take time. Taking advantage of her predicament, the man picked Jenny up and tried to escape.

"World shaking!" Despite the name, this attack is based on wind, so when the shorthaired senshi countered a fireball with it, the mutant was blasted by a very large flame. Said blast carried enough force to throw him against a wall and knock him unconscious. "Perfect!" She turned to the escaping ones. "Not so fast!" She went after them. The grown up saw her and made a hasty toss, which was easily avoided. Uranus threw a running jump kick against the gooey one, causing him to drop Jenny. He was unwilling to surrender so he counterattacked, but he was too unskilled for the wind senshi.

"Why don't you just give up?" Uranus asked boastfully, "You have no chance—OOF!" Something heavy hit her stomach, knocking the air out of her. Jenny had swung the sack she'd been carrying and hit her foe. Up until now, the senshi hadn't been aware of who their third opponent was.

"Nani? You're only a child." She saw the terrified glare in the girl's eyes and felt a weight upon her. The sand-blonde tried to reach out to her.

"NO!!" the orange-skinned girl's hair waved up and she threw a powerful kinetic blast at her enemy, slamming her against the wall.

"Uranus!" Neptune was finally free and she ran to her love, "Are you all right?"

"Just a little backache, I'll get over it soon." They were ready to chase the pair down a manhole when they heard sirens. "We better get away too, something tells me that the police in this country mustn't see us yet."

"Agreed." The senshi jumped to the highest and nearest rooftop they could.

From above, they watched as the authorities took away the unconscious mutant, ready to come down again if need be.

"Looks like they'll be able to take care of him," Uranus observed, "Shame the others got away."

"True. And the very thought, bringing a little girl to do something like this," Neptune added disgustedly. She summoned her talisman, "Let's see if I can find—Nani?"

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't know, the Aqua mirror's showing me the spot below us."

"Nani, why would it do that?"

"I don't know," the aqua-haired senshi replied, "Maybe we missed something important." She pried the image thoroughly and her eyes widened. "Ara."

"What did you see?" Instead of receiving a straight answer, Uranus was taken by the arm and told to look carefully.

"Do you see what that girl hit you with?" The sand-blonde looked and knew what the Aqua mirror had been trying to tell them.

"A sack of beans, and the other bag contained cans."

"Food, Uranus, they were stealing food," Neptune's voice was filled with remorse, "I can't believe what we just did."

"We had no way of knowing." Uranus immediately regretted saying that, "We should have known." She took a deep cleansing breath and tried to clear her mind. "Look, there's nothing left for us here. Let's get back to the hotel and after the concert, we'll find out what's really going on." Her ocean princess nodded and they were on their way.

*****

The Hotel:

While Chibi-Usa enjoyed herself in the tub, Setsuna was applying the finishing touches on a new design of hers Hotaru was modeling. The mocha-skinned woman had made and brought evening gowns for everyone just for this occasion, except for Haruka of course.

"Is something wrong Hime-chan?" Setsuna asked, "You seem a bit tense."

"I'm disappointed Setsuna-mama," the girl answered, "This is the first time we're on a holiday together, and this situation shows up. All that was on my mind was having fun with Chibi-Usa-chan, (sigh) it's not fair."

"Ie, it isn't, but as senshi, we have to do something about it. And believe me, the last thing I wanted was a new confrontation."

"It's the nature of this confrontation what has me nervous," the amethyst-eyed girl explained, "We're not going to face creatures from another dimension. Remember what that lady told us, mutants are people, the special abilities they posses are not voluntary."

"Hai, and if we pay heed to experience, said abilities were probably given to them by some alien force in the need of an army." Setsuna stood up and appraised her work, "Not bad, if I do say so myself. You could wear an ornament in your hair and—" she saw a tear roll down Hotaru's cheek, "Hime-chan?"

"Cannon fodder," the pale-skinned girl said as she wept, "that's what these people are being treated as." She let herself fall into her guardian's arms, "Why do they do this?" From the pain in her voice, it was evident that the wounds caused by Mistress 9 were still open.

"My dear Hotaru-chan," Setsuna whispered sweetly, "Look, if this is too difficult for you, you can stay out of it. After all, you're still a child."

"I'm also Sailor Saturn," Hotaru replied with as much courage as she could manage, "and I promised to protect Sailor Chibi-Moon. Besides," a sudden smiled showed up, "if I'm not there to help you, who knows what kind of trouble you three can get into."

"Us? Hime-chan, you're not letting your power go up to your head, ne?" The violet-haired girl just giggled playfully. Chibi-Usa came in at that moment.

"Okay Puu, I'm ready to try my dress on," the future princess announced as she toweled her hair, "Are you all right Hotaru-chan? You look as if you've been crying."

"I'm all right," the pale girl lied, "Setsuna-mama was just a bit clumsy with the needles—Yipe!"

"Watch it," Setsuna said with narrow eyes and a pin among her fingers, "We mustn't let Small Lady suspect anything," she added quietly, "so pretend to be cheerful tonight and we'll plan something tomorrow."

"Michiru-mama is going to play her violin," the girl whispered back as she rubbed her hip, "There'll be no need for pretend." Setsuna just shook her head and chuckled, her child's soul was wounded but it certainly wasn't dead.

"Tadaima," the racer's voice was heard.

"Michiru-mama, Haruka-papa," Hotaru went over to greet her other two parents, "Did you find any places worth going to?"

"Plenty," Michiru replied, "And I found a few dresses that would look wonderful on you." Haruka walked up to Setsuna and Chibi-Usa, the girl was now standing on the chair and being fitted.

"I see you've been making good use of the time," the sand-blonde noticed as she put her hand on the pink-haired girl's head, "I better hurry if I want to catch up."

"Hai. But tell me Haruka-kun, what took you so long?" Chibi-Usa wondered, "You said you were only taking a short walk."

"Well," Haruka took a deep breath, "Michiru and I were learning to see beyond our noses."

*****

Author's notes:

A message for the followers of Marvel comics. I don't know how the morlocks are organized, whether its just one or several groups. I decided for the latter.

As for Stevens' assistant, Michael, having indigo hair while being human, remember that this fanfic is based on Japanese animation, ordinary people have hair in all sorts of colors.


	2. Unity 2

****

Unity

****

Chapter two:

Queens, New York:

Sure enough, that incident at the convenience store, in which Uranus and Neptune were involved, became the top story of the news reports that evening. Michael was using what he read to write a new speech, a very demeaning one at that.

"Vermin, parasites, stealing the food we work so hard for," the indigo-haired man checked that last part, "No, stealing food from our children sounds better," he couldn't help but smirk as he wrote that. Stevens came in at that moment, talking on his cellular.

"Is the suit ready?… Good, wait until after the show, that's when the most people gather… Okay then, I'll beep you the cue." He closed the gizmo with a flip. "What's the word Mike?"

"It seems that these 'morlocks' we've heard so much about are not wino-stories after all. There might be a chance to use that 'Peril from below' speech again."

"With a little updating of course," the mousy-haired man added, "But this bit of news is worth a lot more than that, if we can confirm the morlocks existence, I've got a friend in a high place who'll be very happy." He saw something onscreen that caught his attention, "Who the hell are they?"

"No idea," Mike used his computer to watch these things in order to manipulate the images and catch small details. He zoomed in on those two girls.

"They're wearing uniforms so they must belong to a sort of squad, although I've never seen uniforms like those."

"I hear you. I know these so called super-heroines like to show their figure, but skirts?" He didn't get a response so the assistant turned to his leader, Stevens watched the screen with a thoughtful stare, "Sir?"

"What? Umm, I was just thinking," he picked up a folder, "I'm off to that rally at Central Park. Use that image with the girl scouts for our advantage, I'm thinking something like: mutants replacing the true men in the military, be creative."

"Are you sure sir? If we don't get some proof to back up our story the military will deny such an accusation."

"Mike, we're talking about the government here, those guys deny everything."

*****

A concert hall, Manhattan:

Michiru and her family stood outside the stage door.

"Well, this is where we split up," the violinist said, "Hime-chan, Chibi-Usa-chan, it'll still be an hour until the show. Are you sure you won't get bored?"

"Don't worry Michiru-san," the pink-haired girl replied, "I know we'll be too excited to get bored."

"Plus," Hotaru added, "Haruka-papa has a knack for keeping people entertained when she wants to." The sand-blonde responded by putting her hand on the girl's head.

"Now what exactly do you mean by entertainment, Hime-chan?"

"You know what she means," Setsuna answered, "quite often you're more of a clown than Usagi-chan and Mina-chan combined." Haruka narrowed her eyes and Michiru rolled hers.

"More and more we're acting like sisters." She kissed her love, got some good luck wishes and went inside with the other musicians; the rest of the Japanese girls went through the main entrance.

Inside a broom closet:

Two other people were also very expectant about the events about to unfold tonight, but not the music. Both were part of Stevens' organization. One of them was exceptionally large, and he was pulling a costume out of a bag. The other was verifying instructions through his cell-phone.

"We'll get the signal until after the show, when the most people are gathered."

"Humph! That means about three hours of waiting," the big one protested, "Why the hell did we have to come in so early? And why all this fuss? A well aimed molotov should send the muties a clear message."

"Number one: it was the best time to sneak in; number two: we want to convince people that mutants are dangerous. Violent acts from our part just turn more traitors towards mutant rights." The man peeked out the door and made sure the corridor was empty. "Wait here until I page you, and don't do anything stupid."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the big man was left alone and he began changing, "I should've brought my video-game."

Scott and Jean walked through the vestibule arm in arm. She wore a deep blue evening gown that had been bought just for this occasion, and in his opinion, she looked more than beautiful.

"An evening of classical music and a romantic dinner afterwards," the redhead said, "Life doesn't get better than this."

"It will," Scott replied, "we'll be man and wife in just a few more months, and afterwards, we'll get to enjoy family life. **Then** it won't be any better."

"You're really looking forward to becoming a father, aren't you?" Jean observed with a giggle, "me, I still have trouble keeping my students in check."

"I know you'll make an excellent mother," her brown-haired love assured as he embraced her.

"You're so sweet." Something caught Jean's eye, "Hey, check it out!"

"What?" Scott allowed himself to be led towards a painting.

"I knew I recognized this, it was made by Michiru Kaioh, she's first violin tonight."

"Oh yeah, she's the one Henry admires. I didn't know she was also a painter."

"You would if you also paid attention to our museum trips with the kids." Scott tried to act non-challantly. "This is one of my favorites, her use of color is particularly bold here."

"I can appreciate the technique, but color is another story." Jean slapped herself mentally, which is almost the same as physically when you're telekinetic, and leaned her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry Scott."

"It's okay," he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder, "Whom I'm feeling sorry for is Henry. It's too bad that he can't come here in person." Then he recognized someone out of the corner of his eye, "But we might get him a little something," now he led her, "Come along!"

Haruka and Setsuna chatted while the younger girls admired the lobby decorations. True to her nature, Hotaru was specially attracted by the chandeliers.

"The only thing I don't like about these events is the irony they include. I can't enjoy them with Michiru by my side."

"Come now, have you forgotten that sometimes you get to play the piano along with her?" the mocha-skinned woman replied, "If I remember right, you're due to do just that in the upcoming music festival."

"Hai, but the main attraction will be that new boy trio. You wouldn't believe how much Mina-chan admires them."

"We both know her dreams and personality well, it's normal that she looks up to those people as role-models," Setsuna scratched her chin, "And marriage prospects, now that I mention it." She turned her sight towards the girls, who seemed to be having a little discussion. "You know, sometimes I worry about Hime-chan. Small Lady is the only close friend she has, and girls her age have at least one infatuation. I don't think I've ever heard of at least one boy she had a crush on."

"She'll overcome her shyness soon enough, Usagi-tachi will make sure of that. As for the matter of boys," the racer turned to Hotaru, "she's going to attract plenty in just a few months." Her look became severe, "Of course, the hard part will be getting my approval."

"I was right, you are the family clown."

"I see that some people don't appreciate being in a place like this," Chibi-Usa commented after seeing a group of kids her age. It was plain to see that they were brought here against their will by their parents. "But at least we'll have someone to talk to until the show, let's go." She took Hotaru's hand and took a step towards the group.

"Matte Chibi-Usa-chan," the pale girl held back, "I just saw one of Michiru-mama's paintings, I want to take a closer look." Chibi-Usa knew it was an excuse, but she went anyway. Besides, admiring her friend's work would be very pleasant. A couple standing near them caught the pink-haired girls attention.

"I think I just saw my first example of New York eccentricity. Who wears sunglasses at night? Red ones at that."

"Said the girl with pointy odangos," Hotaru retorted playfully, "But it is a curious accessory," her eyes went wide, "And he's heading towards Haruka-papa." Hotaru hurried off.

"Matte Hotaru-chan!"

"Excuse me, Haruka Tenoh, right?" Scott addressed the sand-blonde, "The professional racer?"

"Hai," Haruka answered as she shook his hand, "I take it you've been keeping track of my career."

"I try to see the races you take part in every chance I get. I'm Scott Summers, and this is my fiancée, Jean Grey."

"Pleased to meet you Jean-san. This is my friend, Meioh Setsuna," the younger girls caught up, "And these two little imps are Tomoe Hotaru and Tsukino Usagi."

"Everyone calls me Chibi-Usa, though."

"I'm delighted to meet you both," the redhead said with a warm smile, "But Scott, you said there was something we could do for Henry."

"Right, you see a friend of ours admires Miss Kaioh greatly, he really wanted to, but wasn't able to come. And we'd really like to get him something special."

"I see, you saw Haruka-san and figured out that she could get that something," Setsuna guessed, "I'll let Michiru-san know, she'll be glad to comply. She often turns her admirers into pen-pals, and I've got the feeling that this won't be an exception." She took out a card with the number for the hotel and the room they were staying at written on it. Haruka gave her sister a slight glare, she didn't approve giving out so much information to a stranger. "And your friend's name is…"

"McCoy, Henry McCoy."

"Doctor McCoy?" Hotaru asked with visible surprise, "I remember Poppa mentioning him once, I heard he's a very capable physician and biochemist."

"He's more than capable," Jean added, "but he'll never accept it. He often says that medical breakthroughs are like a cathedral, they take the work of many hands."

"I've heard a little about Dr. McCoy as well," Chibi-Usa said. Back in Crystal Tokyo, during her history lessons, Sailor Mercury had often mentioned him and his important role in history. But the young princess had never paid enough attention to learn exactly why. "Puu—er—Setsuna-san knows a lot about medicine as well, she's working as the nurse at my school right now."

"Eto," the emerald-haired woman rubbed her temple, "What can I say? I guess I like children." Everyone laughed at that. They went on to talk about the weather until it was time for the concert.

Scott and Jean took their seats.

"I can't seem to find Haruka and the others," Scott said, "but I do know they'll be close to the stage."

"They were really nice people, I could tell right away," the redhead replied, "But Hotaru, something about that child worried me."

"How so?"

"I don't know exactly, even without using telepathy I could sense a lot of melancholy coming from her, and she's much to young to carry such feeling."

"She's obviously adopted," Scott observed, "I know from experience that such a life can become a burden. But she's with good company now, Haruka and the others will help her overcome her past," he got closer to Jean and whispered in her ear, "I also know that from experience."

"Scott," she faced and kissed him lovingly. Jean turned her sight towards the stage and found Michiru Kaioh taking her designated place. The music started, and the young couple set all their senses into enjoying it.

*****

The underground:

Robert watched as a gray mist took form and solidified into Cloud.

"More good news, the colonies over at the eastern ghetto and near the docks have confirmed their joining us." The young morlock sat on a rusty barrel and leaned back. "Kinda weird though, everywhere I went most of the people were more than eager to join this sort of army. It's like everyone woke up this morning and decided that they had enough of the humans."

"Who cares?" the stony one replied, "The important thing is, we're gaining support. All there's left to do know is organize a tournament and designate the leader," his fist ignited, "and I'm going to be it."

"Don't get cocky Rob, I saw some of the guys at the other colonies, you're in for some tough battles. One of them is able to turn into iron."

"Iron is soft against the flame, Cloud, don't forget." Two people came into the room just then, they were Jenny and the gooey mutant.

"Hey sis, Gus! You guys took your sweet time." the gray-skinned morlock greeted, "Where's Tom at?" Gus didn't answer right away, the newcomer tossed some cans to the floor angrily.

"Three cans of tuna! And Tom was captured! Everything would have been perfect if it wasn't for those two bitches!"

"Gus, Gus, calm down!" Cloud said, "you're scaring Jenny." He went over to his little sister and held her, the orange-skinned girl was still tired from that impromptu attack. "Now, what are you talking about? Did you meet the weather witch or something?"

"No, I doubt they were part of the X-Men. But they must belong to a team, both wore Girl Scout uniforms."

"Girl Scouts?" Robert asked incredulously, "Who the hell dresses up like that?"

"What?" Jenny spoke up suddenly, "Who's there?"

"What is it sis?"

"Someone's watching us," the girl said, "it's scary."

"Hmm." The gray-skinned teen moved his sister away and transformed. He floated swiftly from one tunnel to another and further away. "There's no one there Jenny," he said as the solidified again, "must've been your imagination."

"I didn't!" the girl yelled, "Someone was watching us, someone very strong!"

"Pipe down Jennifer," Robert ordered, "You're no telepath, and you can hardly control your power. You imaged it, that's all."

"But I—"

"Enough! I have to go train for the upcoming battles, no one bother me unless it's absolutely important." He left the room; everyone else was rather surprised, confused and frightened.

"Say Cloud," the gooey mutant asked, "What the hell is going on here?"

"Dunno, and I don't think I want to."

Jennifer wasn't hallucinating, something powerful had been watching them. But now, an old memory was filling it with worry.

……_Serenity……_

*****

The concert hall:

There was a sort of reception after the concert. A little food, some drinks, basically, a reason for everyone to stay a while and chat. This was especially good for performers like Michiru, whose friends and family came to see them.

"A well known doctor, ne?" the aqua-haired girl confirmed as she joined her friends, "I'll be glad to get something for Dr. McCoy. We should be able to find a CD in a store somewhere and I'll autograph it for him."

"He must be in the middle of a very important project if he had to miss this," Hotaru said, "You outdid yourself, Michiru-mama."

"Domo arigato, Hime-chan."

"Now that you mention it," Setsuna commented as she became pensive, "Dr. McCoy is a very busy person, everyone hears about his accomplishments but he never makes public appearances."

"That does sound strange," Haruka said, "But Scott-san and Jean-san gave him a very favorable description, I'm sure we'll enjoy meeting him."

"Who I'd like to meet is people my own age," Chibi-Usa half-complained, "Don't get me wrong guys, I like being with you but—Nani?!"

A large, hairy beast bolted into the lobby, roaring and scaring everybody. He had a long, black mane, claws and exaggeratedly long fangs.

"A mutant!" a man yelled, one of the two who'd been hidden earlier, "He's going to kill all of us!"

"That baka!" Haruka shouted angrily, "He's going to cause a panic." Indeed, pandemonium was already present. The monster went around knocking down everything in his way, and everyone else ran around uncontrollably. Worst of all, the senshi were given no opportunity to get out of sight and henshin, the grown-ups at least.

"Hotaru-chan, over here!" Chibi-Usa and her pale friend were small enough to fit under the largest table. They tried to slide underneath but instead bumped into a large foot. The pink-haired girl looked up and saw a very nasty scowl. "Heh, heh, we didn't happen to step on a corn, did we?"

"RAAHR!" The black-mane mutant raised his claw to strike at the girls. Hotaru grabbed Chibi-Usa and shielded her with her own body, she tensed every muscle and readied herself for the blow. The monster roared again and just as he was about to strike at the girls, Haruka tackled him away.

"Get out of here now!" The sand blonde ordered, she got into a battle stance and faced his opponent. _I might not have the use of my powers, but I still have to protect the princess. _"Gimme your best shot baka oni!"

"You Asian son of a bitch!" the monster growled. He grabbed a chair and tried to use it as a weapon. He was about to bring it down upon the racer when he froze suddenly. "Huh?" He felt something holding the chair, but nothing could be seen. He became even more confused when that strange force pulled his weapon away.

"Nani?" Haruka didn't quite understand what was happening either.

"Haruka hit the floor!" Scott's voice was heard. The racer did as she was told and saw a red beam hit the monster in the stomach. He was thrown against a column and was knocked unconscious because of the blow. The sand-blonde turned to the source of the beam but could only see Scott on his knees putting his glasses in place, Jean stood beside him. "Are you two okay?" he asked the girls.

"Hai," Chibi-Usa answered, "thanks to Haruka-kun. What about you Hotaru-Chan?" Hotaru's amethyst eyes were staring widely at the brown-haired mutant. "Hotaru-chan?"

"Umm, hai, I'm all right," Hotaru mumbled. Only she had seen what Scott had done, how that ruby-colored beam was fired out of his eyes. Using her best judgment, she decided not to say anything.

"I'm taking Scott out of here," Jean announced, "I think he hit his head with something."

"Go ahead," Haruka replied, "We'll keep an eye on this guy." The engaged couple left and everyone else went over to Setsuna, who was checking the mutant's condition. "How is he?"

"He's got quite a thick head," Setsuna responded, "He's going to wish to be dead when he wakes up."

"We only just learned about the existence of mutants," Michiru said, "Earlier, we saw one group stealing food, and now we see a large brute creating chaos for no reason." The aqua-haired girl shook her head. "Frankly, I'm getting more and more confused."

"Then get ready for some more boggling," the emerald-haired one called again, "Look at this." She reached behind his neck and made a stunning revelation.

"A mask?" Chibi-Usa took it away, "Why would anyone go through all this?"

"It's obvious," Setsuna answered, "From what I've figured out so far, a lot of people despise mutants. He wanted to create a very negative image for them, had he succeeded." They could hear sirens and the voices of the paramedics arriving.

"I want to look further into this," Hotaru said, "I need to learn more about these mutations, these incidents, whose side most people are on, everything."

"Agreed," Chibi-Usa seconded, "All I've seen so far leads me to believe that mutants are getting the worst part of it all."

"We will Small Lady, we'll find out who's responsible for this. But for now, we must leave and let other people do their work." The girls left and let the authorities go through. Hotaru took a second to look back at all the destruction that had been caused, and thought of the ones who were going to be unfairly accused.

"It's not fair," she muttered as a tear escaped her eye, "It's just not fair."

Jean and Scott were feeling quite upset as they made their way through the crowd. Things like these were no more than mere annoyances to them.

"I shouldn't have done that. If my eyes had been opened just a little bit wider, that man would've died in a second."

"You've been practicing for such a situation," the redhead reminded him, "You displayed more control now than a couple of months ago. Besides, it was much better than letting him strike at Hotaru and Chibi-Usa. We did the first thing that came to our minds and I'd like to believe we were right."

"And we were, if you see it from that point of view." He took a deep breath. "But I'm still not sure about leaving Haruka and the others with that idiot." Jean stretched a little.

"I see no need to worry, after all, it was just a guy in a cheap disguise. And from her attack, I could tell that Haruka's a very capable fighter." It's more than obvious that Jean Grey has enough telepathic ability to see through appearance. "They're very nice people and I feel bad about lying to them, but you know that something must be kept in secret."

"I say they're keeping some secrets of their own," the brown-haired man pondered, "While everyone else panicked, they remained focused, planning an attack against that guy. I could tell by the look in their eyes, they've encountered foes with such an appearance before, much stronger ones."

"Even the little ones?" Jean asked in amazement.

"Hotaru was the most determined one." They finally arrived at the car. "What do you think we should make of all this?"

"Tell the professor of course, he'll know what to do. If what you assume is true, it means that mutations must be common in Japan. And Charles will be glad to exchange information."

"Good point." Scott closed the door for Jean and got into the vehicle himself. "So, do you still want to go out to dinner, or should we go back and reheat a pizza?"

"Let's go out, we can't let this sour our mood." He nodded and drove away.

*****

Xavier's school:

What happened at the concert hall was in all the news reports by the next hour, all the scandalous ones that need big ratings. Charles, Ororo and Logan were watching it on TV, the last one was laughing at what he saw.

"Can you believe it? The guy who planned this must've been a real genius. I'd give up my claws just to look at his face."

"I'm glad to see, for once, a reaction from you that isn't anger, Logan. As serious as this case might be."

"Aww, come on, Chuck. You gotta admit few things are funnier than seeing these self-declared saviors make idiots of themselves."

"I'll admit it," the professor replied with a slight grin, "but I'm worried as well. As desperate as this plan was, they are becoming more clever."

"And insolent," the ebony-skinned girl spoke at last, "Imagine, having people believe that all mutants look monstrous. Hundreds walk the streets everyday without causing a commotion." She ran her fingers through her white hair. "Well, I would, but not exactly a negative one."

"Oh, such a humble one you are," Logan quipped, "Anyway, we ended up on top. They look bad and Scott and Jean will have an interesting anecdote for us." The feral man ignored just how interesting it was going to be. He got up from the couch. "I'm going to bed, good night you two."

"I'm tired too," Ororo said, "Are you staying up late, professor?"

"Yes Ororo, I still have plenty of paperwork to do. Sweet dreams my child." The girl gave her good bye with a smile. Charles watched the screen for a while and pondered about the possible consequences, then shook his head as he turned off the set and headed for his office. "Logan's right, I'm making a mountain out of an anthill."

*****

Brooklyn, the next day:

Several teenagers were arguing about an anti-mutant rally that was held last night at Central Park.

"You should've gone," one said, "then you'd be convinced of how dangerous the mutants are."

"Look, I know they can be dangerous, I've had first hand experience. But a lot more are trying to do something good."

"You mean those guys in spandex™ suits? Get real!"

"Yeah," a third one agreed, "They're no heroes in real life, just people looking after their own interests. Look I'm not saying us humans are perfect, but muties are deadly, even if they don't want to."

"They want to make us think they're dangerous," a girl reasoned, "If you—" She was silenced with a haymaker. One of the anti-mutant sympathizers just attacked her without warning.

"If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem," the bully quoted with a raging voice, "The only answer is to get rid of them, and that includes mutie-lovers like you."

"Are you crazy!?" the girl's boyfriend shouted furiously as he shoved the guy, "You're the ones that should be wiped off the earth." That comment was replied by another blow, and another, and another.

Madness, that's all it was. Without any escalation at all, a simple argument became an all out brawl. The violence didn't grow, there was none bottled up, it just appeared in its most deadly guise. A few concerned bystanders tried to stop this, but the moment they approached, the anger seemed to infect them. Instead of putting a halt to the fight, they joined it. One girl, with scratches in her face fell and saw something as she looked up.

"What the—KYAA!" As soon as the battle had started, it ended. Everyone laid wounded and exhausted. A dark figure stood among the unconscious bodies, feeding on their life force.

"Soon, very soon."


	3. Unity 3

****

Unity

Chapter three:

A hospital in Germany:

A doctor and nurse walked down the aisle, they were going to see a patient that had been brought in about half a week ago.

"He seems to be over fifty, with a rather muscular complexion," the nurse informed, "He carried no I.D. and has been too weak to speak ever since we brought him. In fact, he just recovered consciousness a few hours ago, which is why I called you."

"You did well," the doctor relied as he checked the charts. When said man had been brought in he was utterly exhausted, completely depleted of all energy, the reason was never discovered. "Well, the least we can do now is find out who he is and inform the family, they must be worried sick." They got to the door and she opened the door for him.

"Sir, we would like you to—_Was_?" The room was empty. They looked all around and found something unusual, the window had iron bars for safety reasons, and they were bent open. "He looked strong, but there's no way he could've done this."

"And even if he did, we're on the tenth floor!" the doctor rubbed his temple desperately; he started to think about where and how the man had been found and added it to this. "Call security, call everyone! We must find him now!"

But the one they were so nervous for was already very far away, with only one thought in mind: warn his friend.

*****

Xavier's school:

Rogue and another girl were in the rec-room, sitting on the couch and watching the news, she was the same age as Rogue, but her hair was shoulder length and colored white, not just a streak. She also wore a black collar with a small device on it.

It'd been two days since the concert, and all that had been on the news were riot reports. Everywhere in New York the police and paramedics found large groups of unconscious people, all of them battered and bruised.

"It's terrifying how everyone is becoming more and more violent," the brunette said, her companion nodded her agreement.

"What's creepy is the condition they find them in," a boy said as he approached from behind, "Hi Rogue, Kathy," he greeted as he leaned down and gave both girls a hug.

"Remy!" the pale girl shouted as she got away quickly, "How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?"

"Now _cherie_, Remy is always careful wherever he threads."

"Yeah right, very careful," she quipped sarcastically, "You know, if you fall into a coma, I won't feel sorry at all." Rogue's attention was drawn by Kathy snapping her fingers, the white-haired girl pointed at the boy and then knocked on her head. "I agree. But Remy, what did you mean by creepy?"

"Well, according to what I've heard, the people are always found knocked out, but for the most part, not from the fight. The doctors say they are found in a state of extreme tiredness and they can't figure out why." Kathy pointed at the other girl with a questioning gaze. "You think it's an energy-drainer? That's a good guess."

"Well I could never do something like that," Rogue protested mildly, "Plus, I'd go insane with the thoughts of so many people in my head."

"I hear you. But it seems to me that whoever is doing all this is already crazy." Kathy gestured her opinion with twirling hands and a pull-apart motion, fit to be tied.

*****

Downtown Manhattan:

Setsuna, Hotaru and Chibi-Usa were making the most of the weather with a leisurely stroll. The outers decided that their best strategy would be to sit back and observe for a while, until they knew enough to act properly. Two things were top priority: one, the continuous riots, and two, the X-Men. Every now and then they were mentioned on the news, helping out at large scale robberies, fires and other such situations. The reports were short and not very thorough, in fact they consisted of little more than speculations. Still, they were the best source for information so far. Haruka admitted the X-Men's efficiency, but wasn't sure whether they'd be enough to stop this threat that was turning people into mutants. Hotaru was starting to have second thoughts about her initial suspicions, if the mutants were really weapons, they wouldn't be allowed so much free will, fighting for both the sides of good and evil. Plus, she wasn't going to let her parents now, but she was starting to admire this uncanny team.

"All in all, this has been a great trip," Setsuna commented, "It's only been a few days and we've seen practically everything."

"And the city has so much left to offer," the odango-headed princess added, "I just wish we were allowed more time for sightseeing."

"I have to go back to school Chibi-Usa-chan, and you must return to your home in Crystal Tokyo," Hotaru mentioned, the last part with a hint of sadness.

"Actually, I meant that we have to do things here as senshi." Her companions stopped cold and Chibi-Usa faced them with an amused smile. "You didn't really think I was oblivious to the situation, ne? I'm aware of the disturbances, and I know I'm obligated to do something about it. What would okousan say if I stood idly while the rest of you fight?"

"You surprised me, Small Lady, I should have known it was foolish to try and hide our intentions."

"Hai," the pale girl agreed, "I'm sure your mother would be proud if she could see you here and now."

"Well," the pink-haired girl blushed a little, "it was really just a bunch of talk, we can't really do anything until we know what has to be done." She twirled and gave out her most kawaii smile. "So until then, lets concentrate on having fun, I still haven't found out if New York hot-dogs are as good as they say." Setsuna face-faulted and Hotaru rolled her eyes, no matter how much she would mature, Chibi-Usa would always be that playful girl she met at the park that windy day. A melancholic melody caught the amethyst-eyed girl's attention.

"A jazz café! Setsuna-mama, can we go listen to them, please?"

"You two go ahead," the emerald-haired woman conceded, "I just saw something that I have to buy." Grinning, the girls crossed the street and went to the farthest end of the block. Setsuna made sure they got to their destination before entering the shop, but she hardly got through the threshold when she heard and felt an explosion. "Hime-chan, Small Lady!!" She tried to sprint towards them but the storeowner swiftly held her by the arms.

"Where do you think you're going? It's dangerous out there!"

"But…" there was nothing she could do but look helplessly at the growing chaos.

"Chibi-Usa-chan, are you all right?" Hotaru asked with a shaky tone.

"Hai, I just feel a little warm, that's all." The explosion had been in the center of the block, a safe distance from the girls, also, it looked more violent than it really was. Still, there were many injured, and the violet-haired girl had to tend to them. Both girls quickly found focus points to help guide them through the very chaotic situation. "Come on sir, let's get you somewhere safe," the pink-haired girl said as she helped someone carry a victim. Hotaru came up to someone with a nasty wound in his leg, she put her hand upon it and healed it. She was a little worried, but people were going to be too busy and scared to care or react anyway, but someone did take notice of what she did.

"Hey!" The pale girl was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned and saw a black girl with long, white hair. "You think you can do that again?"

"Umm, hai, as often as I want to."

"Good, follow me." Ororo led the child to one of the burning shops, Chibi-Usa saw them and caught up.

"We won't be able to get to the people inside," the princess said as she shielded herself from the heat, "We must wait for the firefighters."

"The ones inside can't wait," the ebony girl realized. The Japanese girls saw her eyes become white and caught the smell of dampness. They were awestruck when small rain-clouds appeared and poured over the flames. "Our path stands clear, let's go!"

It wasn't as bad inside as it first seemed, all the trapped people needed was for the fire at the door to be doused. Plus, there was someone inside moving the debris out of the way, Hotaru was surprised yet again when she recognized him.

"You?" Logan turned upon hearing the familiar voice.

"Save your greetings for the end kid, we got a lot of work to do." He sniffed around for more people, which was hard because of the smoke, but he managed to find someone. The four went to a fallen beam, which was pinning a woman down, it wasn't heavy, but was caught inside the wall and impossible to move. "You three take hold of this thing as I cut it. Ready?"

"Ready," Chibi-Usa answered, "After all I've seen, whatever it is you're going to do, won't surprise me." (SNIKT) "I was wrong." Logan sliced the hardwood with just one swipe, and with teamwork, the four tossed it aside, freeing the woman.

So it went, Ororo put out the fires, Logan helped the people out, Hotaru tended to the seriously injured and Chibi-Usa, having no special power in this form, comforted the frightened children. The arrival of the authorities sped up the rescues, and soon, there was only one man left.

"Ara, that's the worst one I've seen so far!" Hotaru exclaimed as she saw the burn on the man's shoulder, "Hold still." He noticed the violet glow coming from her hand and pushed her away.

"Don't you use your freaky powers on me, you mutie—Urk!" Logan tackled and held him down with his left arm.

"You be a good boy and take your medicine, or else," the feral man threatened while aiming his claws towards the idiot's face. Feeling a bit startled, Hotaru got up again and healed him. "Good, now show your manners."

"Thank you," the man said in a whiny voice and ran off when he was released.

"That was kind of fun," the pale girl admitted, "I guess sometimes you must be cruel to be kind." Suddenly, she started to feel faint.

"You okay kid?" Logan asked as he held her up.

"Ie, I think I used too much of my power." She wanted to kneel and rest but he wouldn't let her.

"Come on now, stay awake." Chibi-Usa and Ororo came up at that moment. "I can feel a bump on her head and she tired herself out, we gotta get her to the hospital."

"No," the white-haired girl replied, "They've been too busy there lately and she needs attention immediately. It'll be best if we take her to the school."

"Matte!" the ruby-eyed girl protested as she followed them into Logan's jeep, "you can't just take Hotaru-chan like that, we have to find Puu and let her know."

"There's no time, child," Ororo said, "You'll simply have to get in touch with your parents later."

Setsuna had convinced the storeowner to release her shortly after the explosion occurred and began to look for her child and liege. The search would have taken her no time at all, but there were a lot of people who needed help and she couldn't ignore them, she knew Hotaru wouldn't either. Soon, the danger was over and the emerald-haired woman could concentrate on finding the girls, she went to the authorities and asked for Chibi-Usa, who would be easier to identify.

"Yeah, I saw her," a paramedic said, "weirdest hairstyle I've ever seen. She's over there with the other children."

"I see, arigato." She walked over to where she was told but didn't find the princess.

"She was here a moment ago, she was really nice," a little boy informed, "I think she went over to her friend."

"That's right," and older girl commented, "a girl with dark-purple jeans. They left with a couple of grown-ups in an old jeep."

"They left with strangers?" Setsuna exclaimed in an upset voice. She thanked the children and stepped aside to think clearly. _Hime-chan has always possessed more sense than that; she wouldn't just leave with anyone. An old jeep, an old jeep_—She snapped her fingers when she realized what had happened. "Of course, it has to be him!" The emerald-haired woman rushed back to the hotel, she was going to need Michiru's Aqua mirror.

*****

The Underground:

"Defense Rob, defense!" Cloud cheered. Robert was fighting a morlock with the ability of extending dark whips from his arms; it was his toughest battle so far. For the last two days, the morlocks have been holding a tournament to decide who would lead this rebellion against the surface. The stone-scarred one managed to advance to the semifinals with very little effort, and although this was a difficult fight, his victory was assured. Everyone in Robert's colony was happy for him, except little Jennifer.

"This is wrong," the orange-skinned girl said, "he's not wining because of his power."

"What are you talking about sis?" Cloud asked, "Sure he's using his powers, unless he can do something else besides turning into lava."

"Why won't you understand!?" Jenny shouted as she bolted away from the crowd, her brother followed worriedly. "Something's giving him that strength and it's going to destroy all of us."

"Now Jenny," the gray-skinned man reprimanded, "don't you start that story again. Almost every telepath from all the colonies searched the tunnels and found nothing, and there's no way you can sense something they didn't."

"Because I'm a child, right?" the girl shouted with tear-filled eyed, "I saw our parents die, Cloud. You think I have any desire left for games?" She ran away from there, Cloud was left speechless. He thought carefully about Jenny's suspicions. Robert had always been a capable fighter, but not an extraordinarily strong one. Now that he put his finger on it, Rob's power did seem to have increased greatly these last few days. A roar of victory put a halt to his musings, Cloud ran back to the crowd and was glad to see that his friend had won.

"Awesome Rob! Just three more fights to go." _Maybe you're right, Jenny, maybe someone is making him stronger. But you're wrong in the last part, that thing is going to help us_. "Go Rob, go!"

*****

Queens, Stevens' campaign H.Q.:

Jack's efforts were beginning to pay off, he'd finally managed to get enough support and signatures to run for political office, true, it was still early to run for mayor, but not too much to start gaining favors in Washington.

"I guarantee it Jim, these muties are up to something and the best way to stop them is to show them how strong we are, that were not helpless kids."

"_Jack, were not talking about weapons here, were talking about **the** weapons, the ones that will give us the edge on the war against mutation. But using them just like that will cause a panic throughout a city as large as New York, and a worse situation if we have nothing to justify it with._"

"There will be a cause," the mousy-haired man replied as he banged his fist on the desk, "Suppose the mutants decide to blow up Times Square, and then you bring that project of yours. The people are going to blame us, they're going to say that we could've done something but didn't. Does that sound like something better?" There was a minute long pause after that question.

"_I'll be there first thing tomorrow Jack, but you haven't convinced me yet. I have to see for myself whether such measures are necessary._"

"Fair enough, we'll keep in touch." Stevens hung up and turned his attention towards Michael, who had entered the office a moment ago, with him was a blonde man with a mustache and goatee.

"Sir, my companion comes in representation of a benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous. And let me tell you, this sum is something that will help us a lot." He gave his leader the check and the mousy-haired man fell back on his seat.

"Wow!" he got up and stretched the blonde man's hand, "Allow me to be the first to thank you Mr.…"

"Doe, John Doe, I know it's silly but I'd also like to keep my identity a secret."

"We understand," the indigo-haired man said after the laughter ceased, "The mutants have all sorts of freaky abilities. Who's to say they won't kill you in your sleep if they find out about benefactors to our cause?"

"Umm, yeah, who's to say," John replied, there was something amiss in his tone, "But please don't thank me, like my boss says: 'A penny spent on a mutant's death, is a penny well spent'."

"Very well spent," Stevens corrected, "This gesture has assured the future and peace of mind of millions of pure blooded humans. Michael, cash in the check and spend it on both the campaign and supplies for my, er, more radical followers."

"I'm afraid that will be a problem," he blonde man indicated, "That check is postdated and can't be cashed in until a few days from now. Safety reasons you know."

"Hmm, I know. My thanks to you once more, Michael will lead you outside and let everyone know that you now have free access through my headquarters at any time."

"I'm honored." Both men left the office and headed for the door. John Doe was smiling inwardly, the plan was coming along perfectly. The check had no funds actually, it was merely a decoy in order to get this close to the bigoted leader, the real money was going to be given to him, correction, to her, after completing a certain bloody assignment.

*****

The Hotel:

"Don't you feel just a little guilty about having this picnic at Central Park without the others?" Michiru asked, "I mean, we're not sure whether we'll have the chance again."

"Hai, but who's to say when the two of us will have another chance to be alone together," Haruka answered, "I know I sound selfish, but we're going to one of the most beautiful spots in New York and I want you all to myself," she added as she embraced and kissed her love.

"Hmm, you have such convincing power," the aqua-haired girl hummed as she toyed with the racer's hair, "maybe afterwards, we'll have some more quality time together." The phone rang at that moment, sighing, Michiru answered. The sand-blonde went over to finish packing the picnic basket, that's when Setsuna rushed into the room.

"Michiru-san, I need you mirror!"

"Matte, Setsuna-san! Michiru's at the phone. What's wrong, and for that matter, where are Hime-chan and Chibi-Usa-chan?" The time guardian retold the whole story from her point of view, which eliminated Haruka's good mood. "You baka! How could you allow such a thing to happen?"

"Oh, I suppose I should've seen that explosion coming and know where everyone is all of the time!" The emerald-haired held out her hand and took a deep breath, "I didn't come here to argue, I came here to find where our daughter is. So let's get Michiru-san and use the mirror."

"That won't be necessary," the violinist announced, "Remember the couple you mentioned, Scott-san and Jean-san?" the other two nodded, "I'll sum it up in two words: small world."

*****

Xavier's School, an hour later:

"'Gifted youngsters'," Haruka read, "I wonder what they mean by that."

"Probably smart," Setsuna guessed. She looked through the window, the size of the place was incredible; large, well kept gardens, sporting grounds, and of course, the enormous mansion. The sight that pleased her most was all of the students having fun, the younger children made her heart feel especially light.

"This is a boarding school," Michiru observed, "not only do they study, these kids live here. The lack of uniforms is a bit unusual, but what makes me wonder is why they're still here during the summer."

"Aren't your eyes open?" Haruka asked teasingly, "Don't you think this is a good enough place to spend your vacation at?" She leaned back on her seat, "Besides, most of their parents must be rich bastards with better things to do than spend time with their kids."

"Hai, you're probably right," Setsuna replied as she leaned back on her seat. "Nani?"

"What is it?"

"Umm, nothing, I just thought I saw a girl run through a tree."

Jean was the one to open the front door for them.

"Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru Kaioh! I'm so glad you could make it," the redhead greeted. The Japanese trio entered and saw three more people standing there. "Scott you've already met, these are Ororo and Professor Charles Xavier."

"We're all honored to meet you, Xavier-sama," the mocha-skinned woman greeted and bowed on her sisters' behalf, "Gomen, we don't mean to be rude, but could you please—"

"Lead you to where the girls are," the older man completed, "of course. I have some work to do, so my students will lead you to the infirmary."

"Actually I got some stuff to do as well, so Jean and Ororo will be the ones to take you," Scott excused himself, "but we have to meet and talk later in the day, okay?"

"You've got a deal Scott-kun," Haruka replied.

As they walked down the aisles, the emerald-haired woman observed the ambiance and the students who passed by. Some of them appeared normal, others had a very sour expression, and a few held excited conversations that the time guardian couldn't figure out at first.

"So you met up with Chibi-Usa-chan and Hime-chan while helping the people in the fire," Haruka commented as she shook her head.

"That's right," Ororo responded, "The minute I saw her healing ability I knew she would be of great help."

"You saw her power?" the sand-blonde replied in surprise. Well, that didn't really matter, her pale daughter tried healing people at every opportunity. What made her upset was something else. "I understand how she could provide aid. But how could you endanger our Hime-chan?"

"Haruka, please calm down," Michiru requested.

"I made sure that none of the girls was in danger," Ororo said in an annoyed tone, "Besides, a fire that size meant nothing against my power." Ororo was of a humble nature, but her time in Africa, where she was considered a goddess, left her with a bit of pride that arose every now and then.

"Your power?" The outers came to a halt at one time with their eyes opened wide. Jean slapped her forehead.

"Yes," she said in an exasperated tone, "I'm sorry we didn't tell you right away, but we were waiting for the right moment. If only Ororo hadn't been so impatient…"

"Hmph! Haruka's the one who started it," the ebony girl protested as she spun and crossed her arms. "(Sigh) But you're right, I should have considered the children's safety." She turned again, "I'm sorry."

"That's okay," Michiru answered, "Haruka here knows a thing or two about being impetuous. But please go on, Jean-san."

"Right," Jean continued, "Ororo and I, as well as everyone else in the school, have abilities like Hotaru's." To illustrate, the redhead drew their attention to a small vase; surprise made another appearance when it started floating.

"Telekinesis," Setsuna guessed, "What about you, Ororo-san?"

"This." The white-haired girl raised her hands, Setsuna and Michiru felt a small breeze billow their long hair. The aqua-haired one even giggled playfully. "Not only can I control the winds, but electricity, rain and snow as well"

__

She's a combination of Ami-chan, Mako-chan and myself, the racer thought. She shivered inwardly when she imagined all the power that meant.

"Then 'gifted'," Michiru deduced, "means the gift of your muta—er—powers."

"Powers, mutations, you may use whichever term you prefer," Jean assured, "as long as it's not a derogative one."

"Of course," Setsuna complied, "In truth, this whole mutation thing is quite new to us. There are a lot of strange occurrences in Japan, but they're of a more magical nature."

"That sounds interesting," Ororo said, "Now, Hotaru is being tended to by Henry, and there's something you must know about his particular mutation."

"It's about his appearance, ne?" the emerald-haired woman guessed, "We'll act in our best behavior. No matter what he looks like, he is helping our Hime-chan." The mutant pair smiled approvingly and knocked on the door before them.

"Come in," a deep voice answered. The group entered and the outers were shocked despite their preparations. Hotaru's heartbeat was being checked by, at best description, a blue-furred, animal-like something wearing a white coat and reading-glasses. Chibi-Usa was sitting in a stool at the far end of the room and was the one to notice their presence.

"Minna-san, you're here!" the pink-haired girl ran up to them, embracing Setsuna "Gomen Puu, we didn't mean to scare you like that, but we needed to get Hotaru-chan to a doctor."

"I understand Small Lady, there's no need to apologize," the time guardian rose and went up to the metal table, "Do you feel all right Hime-chan?"

"Hai, Setsuna-mama, McCoy-sama is much better than any other doctor I've ever met before," the pale girl complemented as she buttoned up her blouse.

"I'm glad to hear that," the emerald-haired woman held out her hand, "Domo arigato, McCoy-san, it is an honor to meet you."

"The honor is all mine," the furry man replied as he greeted the rest, "especially you, Miss Kaioh. I believe Jean told you that I'm a great admirer of your music."

"Umm, hai, Haruka let me know after the concert." There was a bit of nervousness in Michiru's voice, which Henry easily noticed.

"If my appearance bothers you, I understand perfectly."

"Ie, it's not that!" she hurried to say, "It's just that I, well," she blushed and shrunk in embarrassment, "You, umm, you remind me of a plush toy I had as a child." Everyone stared at the aqua-haired girl in amusement, whose face was becoming even redder. Finally, Henry broke the tension with a hearty laugh.

"That is surely one of the best compliments I've ever received."

"Michiru is quite good at that," Haruka said, "But we forgot to ask, how is Hime-chan?"

"Quite well in fact, all she has is a small bump in her head and a little fatigue. Overall, she's in perfect condition." He checked the display on a hand-held computer, "She could use some more calcium in her diet though."

"Hai, we've been trying to do something about that."

"Haruka-papa…"

"If you have the time, we'd like to show you around the school," Ororo invited.

"We thank you for the offer," Haruka answered, "but I'm afraid we—" she caught sight of Hotaru's and Chibi-Usa's pleading gazes, "Then again, we didn't plan anything that can't be done another day." The younger girls cheered upon hearing this.

"Terrific," Jean said, "David, Bobby, could you come in here a second?" Two boys, one blonde and one dark-haired entered the room, the telekinetic had felt them walking by. "Could you please show Hotaru and Chibi-Usa around? I'm sure they would get bored if they tag along with us grown ups."

"Sure thing Jean," the fair-haired Bobby answered. The kids introduced themselves and went outside, the adults went on to see other places in the mansion.

*****

Brooklyn:

By now, a lot of people had heard about the explosion at Manhattan, and the majority had certain suspicions. A group of Stevens' most avid, and violent, followers were readying their weapons. One of them was at the site and saw a kid running away from there, and what an unwilling-to-listen hater would deduce is quite predictable.

"Are you sure the mutie is where you say?"

"Yeah, I saw where he was headin'. There's a great hiding place in that direction, I used to use it a lot when I was a kid."

"Well, it's not going to do the freak any good," the brush-head finished loading his rifle, "Let's go hunting."

From among the shadows, a creature watched as the posse left the room.

"Go to the hunt, stoke your hate and make me stronger."


	4. Unity 4

**Unity**

**Chapter four:**

Xavier's school:

Haruka and Michiru went along with Jean and Ororo while Setsuna stayed and discussed with Henry.

"I've heard a lot about the strange incidents in Japan," the blue-furred man said, "and although I am a man of science, I cannot help believing that what transpires there is of paranormal origin."

"It's rare to find another doctor who believes in the existence of magic," the mocha-skinned girl chuckled gently, "But if you don't mind, McCoy-san, I would like to talk about the school. What is its purpose?"

"To teach of course," he answered matter-of-factly, "Mainly, to have the children accept what they are." Henry looked at his claw and sighed. "It's quite obvious that I once despised myself for what I was becoming. There was a time when Henry McCoy vanished from the face of the Earth completely."

"I know, I read about it in several medical magazines." The emerald-haired woman wasn't going to admit it openly, but she had been an admirer of Dr. McCoy's work for some time. She'd personally met several people whose lives had been saved thanks to him. It was quite unfair, although understandable, that Henry McCoy had to remain hidden for so long. Setsuna knew solitude quite well but not the pain of self-isolation. "Umm, McCoy-san, how did you manage to overcome this problem?"

"Charles helped a lot. We've been friends for years, since college. When he told me about the school, I realized how selfish my actions were. There are many out there whose condition is even worse than mine, both physically and spiritually. To make a long story short, I overcame myself and am now in charge of physics and philosophy." Henry noticed a peculiar gleam in Setsuna's ruby-eye. "Is something wrong?"

"Ie, it's just that you reminded me of a good friend of mine."

"This Usagi girl you mention sounds like quite an interesting character," Ororo commented, "She's Chibi-Usa's cousin, right?"

"Hai, her parents allowed her to come along with us in this vacation," Michiru answered. Jean scratched her chin, she could sense that the aqua-haired girl was lying a little, but she was too respectful to pry and figure out the truth. "Naturally, we never expected to meet you or have anything like this happen."

"Do you think Chibi-Usa's mother would've have forbidden her to come otherwise?" the redhead asked worriedly. Haruka thought for a moment.

"Ie, I think she would've still allowed her to." _As a matter of fact, if Usagi-chan were to meet these people, she would've actually encouraged us to come_.

"How about heading for the kitchen?" Ororo suggested, "You're our guests and we haven't offered you anything yet."

"Arigato," the racer said, "I was feeling a bit thirsty."

David and Bobby were leading Hotaru and Chibi-Usa through the gardens. The pink-haired girl directed her attention towards a baseball game. There were two unusual things about it: one team was three members short, and said team had a player that, thanks to teleportation, was catcher, shortstop and right fielder simultaneously.

"I think I saw a gray, anime rabbit do that once. Are all your games as much fun as they look?"

"Don't let appearances fool you, this isn't camp," David answered, his voice was quite severe for a fourteen year old, "Things may seem to be relaxed, but that's only because it's summer. Professor Xavier and the others are very strict teachers, and the special training is even worse."

"Special training?" Hotaru asked.

"Our mutant powers," Bobby explained, "they're not that easy to control you know."

"Which reminds me," Chibi-Usa pointed out, "we still don't know what you guys can do."

"We'll show you," the fair-haired teen promised, "as soon as we get to the others. They're right there under that tree." The four approached and met with two more friends. "Hey guys, we want you to meet someone. These are Hotaru and Chibi-Usa, guys, these are Kathy and-"

"Remy LeBeau, mon cherie, at your complete service!" he greeted cheerfully as he took both princesses' hands. The pale girl had no idea how to react, except to blush terribly. This was the first boy to ever approach her in such manner.

"Otherwise known as: the New Orleans swamp rat," a voice from above spoke. The Japanese girls looked up and were shocked to see a girl with reptilian features up in the tree. She had light-green skin, with a few scales developing, claws, fangs, yellow eyes and long black hair with green highlights. "And I resent the fact that I wasn't introduced."

"Well what do you expect?" Dave countered, "You're way up there were no one can see you."

"Whatever." The green-scaled girl came down and stood before the guests. "I'm Giselle, and if you want sound advice, don't believe a word these guy tells you. He'll hit on anything with curves and a pretty face."

"Pardon me, but Remy is not a hormone-driven buffoon."

"Do you expect us to believe that?" a new voice mocked. Everybody turned and saw Rogue approaching with ice-cream bars in her hands. It struck Hotaru odd that she was wearing long-sleeves in a warm day. "Not even Giselle's skin condition stopped you." The red-eyed boy grumbled and crossed his arms.

"Fine, say what you will, but Remy knows the truth."

"Eto," Chibi-Usa had become a bit lost with all this arguing, "well, Hotaru-chan and I are glad to meet all of you." She then took notice of the white-haired girl, who looked a bit older than her. "You're Kathy-chan, ne? You haven't said anything this whole time." Kathy's response was to tap her throat and shake her head.

"You can't speak?" Hotaru asked.

"Can, but mustn't," Rogue explained as she sat and put the snacks next to Bobby, "You see, Kathy's power resides in her voice, she can scream with the force of a megaton cannon. But she has no control of what she does either, so Dr. McCoy had to help a little." The white-haired girl nodded at each detail. "He tried to build this device that controls the volume of her voice, the choker she wears, but couldn't adjust it right. So finally, Kathy asked for one that didn't allow her to talk at all."

"Ara," the pale girl gasped, "Kathy-san, I'm so sorry." The silent girl gestured that it was okay.

"Dr. McCoy is still working on that thing," Bobby pointed out, "But enough talk, I'm hungry." He put his hand over the ice-cream bars and chilled them. "Perfect."

"Cool," Chibi-Usa praised, "er, no pun intended. What about the rest of you?"

"We are as varied as the stars in the night-sky," Remy said as he picked a leaf and made it glow. He threw it into the air and it was gone in a tiny explosion. "And each of us has a tale to tell."

As the four grown women came into the kitchen, they saw someone else already in there.

"This is just like a home alright," Logan grumbled as he looked around, "no one ever leaves a damn thing in its place." He got up and greeted the newcomers. "Hello again. How's the kid doing?"

"Hime-chan is quite well," Michiru answered.

"Are you looking for something, Logan?" Jean asked.

"Pliers, I think Scott left them here when-Aha!" He picked up the tool and went to the fridge for a beer.

"Working on the jeep?" his white-haired friend inquired.

"Yup, and I think it's finally on its last legs."

"I might be able to help," Haruka offered, "I know a thing or two about mechanics." She heard a warning cough. "Eto, Michiru?"

"Go ahead and play," the aqua-haired girl said with a grin, "I'll stay here with Jean and Ororo-san."

"Great!" The sand-blonde went to the fridge and got herself a drink. "Let's go see the patient, Logan-san."

Haruka was amazed by the size of the garage, and even more by the many vehicles stored there. She was actually feeling a bit jealous. They made it to the jeep and checked it out.

"(Whistle) How long did you say you had this thing?"

"Very long, and it's never given me so much trouble before." The feral man started moving parts here and there. "What do you think?"

"Nothing a few replacements can't fix. I'm not quite fond of jeeps really, too slow for my taste. But I now someone who's a real fanatic, he's got parts that can't be found anywhere else."

"Good to know." The pair kept on chatting and fixing what they could. "So your choice is speed, ne?"

"Hai, I just have to become the wind. I did drive one of these once at an off-road race. I came in first, but it wasn't that satisfying."

"I've seen one or two of those races. Didn't you feel just a little victorious being one of the few women there?"

"Hai, I guess it did-" the racer's eyes went wide in realization, "How could you tell I'm female?" Logan chuckled as he tapped his nose.

"You can disguise it with clothes, make your voice deeper or even splash on a gallon of cologne, some people's senses are too acute to be fooled that easily."

"I'll admit my surprise. Changing the subject, your Japanese is quite good, Logan-san. Have you ever been to Japan?"

"Hai, I had a home there once." The feral man's attitude suddenly became quite saddened; he grabbed the beer and took the last swallow. "I had someone there once." Haruka was about to say something but made an awkward pause.

"Uh, gomen nasai, Logan-san, but we have to go now."

"I understand, you guys have a vacation to enjoy." He made no attempt to stop the sand-blonde, he'd received a telepathic message at that moment, addressing him as Wolverine. And use of that name meant trouble.

"By the silence, that's awful," Hotaru gasped after hearing Rogue's tale.

"I don't know why I can't forget," white-streaked girl sighed, "yet, it's kind of cathartic to talk about it. But what about you, Hotaru? What's your story?"

"Well, it's not as good a tale as any of yours," the pale girl began, "I was about a year ago (_I'm not so sure now, thanks to that loathsome Mistress Nine_), a girl in my class had hurt herself with a paper-cutter. I placed my hand over the wound to stop the bleeding, when it began to glow all of a sudden. She was healed in a second, not even a scar remained. I looked into her eyes and noticed how terrified she was of me, not just her but everyone else who'd witnessed it." She took a deep breath. "To be honest, I was scared too." She looked up and noticed appalled stares from everyone, including Chibi-Usa, who'd never heard her story before.

"Give me a second to set this straight," Giselle requested, "You went through that, and in your opinion, what happened to Rogue was awful!?"

"That's right," the aforementioned girl agreed, "I put people into comas, I have a reason to be feared. But you, you're a healer for crying out loud!"

"Healing, hurting," Dave spoke to no one in particular, "it doesn't change the fact that the world is made out of jerks."

"Not everyone is that bad," Chibi-Usa protested, "you shouldn't have such an attitude, Dave-kun, no matter how bad people mistreat you. I've learnt that from experience." The future princess leaned back. "And by the way, what is your ability?"

"Does it look like I want to be part of this story time?" the dark-haired teen spat, "Why don't you show me yours and maybe I'll show you mine."

"Uh…" The pink-haired girl was at a loss, she could have mentioned that she was actually 902 years old, but that was thanks to her crystal. And it would be too hard to swallow anyway. "Actually I'm not a mutant, I'm afraid I'm just a plain old human." She looked around nervously. Then Kathy put her hand on her shoulder and gave a welcoming smile.

"You're thinking about the people out there, we're not like that at all," the reptilian-girl assured, "Besides, maybe you're just late."

"Or maybe she's just not one of us," Dave stated coldly as he stood up and left. Surprised stares followed him.

"I'll be right back," Giselle said with an exaggeratedly apologetic smile, "David, get your sorry ass back here!" she hollered as she gave chase.

"You must forgive Dave," Bobby told Chibi-Usa, "he didn't have quite a pleasant experience before coming here, and is still quite angry."

"We understand," the pink-haired girl replied.

"Hime-chan, Small Lady."

Both Japanese girls turned and saw Setsuna approach.

"Konnichiwa minna-san. Girls, it's time for us to go."

"Could we come back tomorrow, Setsuna-mama?" Hotaru requested, she had a lot more questions that needed to be answered.

"Well, that depends on what your new friends have to say."

"Hey, no problem!" Remy beamed, "They're welcome here any day, after all we are on summer vacation." Kathy pretended to write on her hand then made a 'thumbs down'. "What does that mean?"

"She means that some people are here because they failed their finals," Bobby translated, he got a nasty glare from his brown-haired friend for this comment.

"Very well," the emerald-haired woman approved with a cheerful grin, "I'll call tomorrow and arrange everything. But we really must leave now." The Japanese trio bowed and walked away.

"It's horrible the way Hotaru's been treated," the blonde boy repeated, "Her power actually helps people, unlike most of us."

"I hear you," the former bayou dweller said, "Can you imagine if she actually blew up things, like I do?"

"Look on the bright side," Rogue reminded them, "her mother seems to be quite an understanding person." Her white-haired friend pulled on her sleeve and gave a questioning gaze. "Join us? I'm not so sure about that, Kathy. Setsuna also looks the sort that can't let go."

"David, you stop right now!" Giselle sprinted and was in front of the black-haired boy in flash, burst of speed were a natural quality in her. "Now, what the hell does that attitude mean?"

"You heard what that bunny-eared brat said, she's not one of us." The reptilian-girl shook her head and sighed.

"Dave, that's exactly the way of thinking the professor has taught us not to adopt."

"Well that's easy for him to say, I'll bet he didn't go through what we've been through. Didn't your parents keep you locked up in their house?"

"Please! You make it sound as if they kept me in a cage down in the basement. I was never deprived of anything except my freedom, a fact I resented deeply." She paused a bit. "But mom and dad made sure I had everything else, and when the X-Men came to pick me up, they eagerly agreed, knowing that it would be the best for me."

"Did it ever occur to you that they were trying to get rid of that lizard-freak living in their home?" Dave asked cynically as he walked away. Giselle shook her head then ran up to embrace him.

"Why won't you give the world a chance?" she asked softly as she kissed him in the cheek, "You know I've given you plenty."

"I don't know," the dark-haired boy shrugged, "I guess some of us aren't that strong."

"What's the emergency, Chuck?" Wolverine asked as he strode into the room. The X-Men were all gathered there, in full uniform.

"I found the one who caused the explosion earlier," the telepath explained, "She's hiding now, an old part of Brooklyn. But others are also after her."

"Mutant-haters," Cyclops guessed, "and overly-armed no doubt. We've got to get to her before they do." Everyone nodded and ran for the Blackbird, with good wishes from Charles.

The senshi drove through the gate, each of them felt their hearts a lot lighter.

"I for one had a great time with Ororo and Jean-san," Michiru said cheerfully, "I agree with Hime-chan, we definitely should make the most of our time here to come see them."

"Well, I don't know," Haruka replied doubtfully, "I did enjoy myself with Logan-san, but there's something he's not letting out."

"Well Rogue-tachi were very earnest," Chibi-Usa commented, "Perhaps Logan-san's story is a bit too painful to recall."

"It could be that, Chibi-Usa-chan, but I think Haruka-" the violinist's Aqua mirror began to hum. She checked it out. "It's a girl hiding in an old part of the city, she's scared but I don't see-Ara!"

"What is it?" Hotaru asked.

"There's a whole platoon after her, armed to the teeth!" Haruka didn't exclaim, she reacted. She shifted gears and took it out on the accelerator.

"Where to, Michiru?"

"Right around the corner if you keep up this speed," the pale girl quipped as they each summoned their henshin rods.

*****

An abandoned part of Brooklyn:

A blonde girl, about fifteen, was curled up in a corner, crying inconsolably. How was she supposed to know it would happen? There were no warnings, no clues as to her condition. Just like that, a fiery sphere dropped out of her hand, bounced, rolled and came to a stop near a propane tank. Instinct ordered her to run, but now she was wondering whether she should've stayed and been blown up. She was in the middle of these depressing musings when three or four rounds of bullets flew just over her head! She was utterly frozen in fear, which could've turned out to be a good thing.

"Did you manage to hit it?" one hunter asked.

"Nah," the one who fired answered, "we would've heard a scream otherwise, or running sounds after a spray like that."

"Yeah, but were after a mutie here. What if it happens to be bulletproof?"

"Good point, better make sure then." Both of them aimed and got ready to fire, that's when something that looked like an ignited tennis ball rolled towards them. Before their minuscule brains could come up with something, the orb exploded, leaving them both unconscious.

"Damn!" the blonde girl exclaimed as she ran away, "They talk about shooting me down, and refer to me as 'it'? Who are these people?" She wandered aimlessly until she met with a quartet of those hunters.

"Well, well, look at what the cat dragged in." Terrified, she tried to throw more of those bombs, but she wasn't able to do it anymore. She heard the weapons cock and saw her life flash before her eyes.

"World shaking!"

The amber orb took them all out.

"Be grateful that I'm considering the fact that you're only human," the wind senshi growled, "though only in the physical definition." She looked up and saw the blonde girl escaping from them. "Matte, we're here to help you!"

"It's no use, she's too scared to trust anyone," Sailor Saturn explained, "We must somehow convince her that we're not foe."

"And take care of these creeps as well," Pluto added, "We'll split up, Neptune and Uranus, you go one way, I'll stay with the little ones."

"Hai, let me do the talking," Sailor Chibi-Moon suggested, "I think I'll have the best chance to reach out to her."

Uranus and Neptune searched around warily and found two groups of those gun-toting bigots, on separate sides from their position.

"They haven't seen us," the ocean senshi noted, "but there too far apart, it'll take a while to take them out."

"Why not use our talismans?"

"They're too powerful, and I still don't approve of you using your power a while ago."

"Fine then," Uranus said tiredly, "it'll be one on one." The wind senshi checked out her Star sword, "At least I can still use my weapon without activating it."

"Don't get me started," Neptune warned. Chuckling, her beloved took to the left while she took the right.

The hunters were ill prepared for the situation. Sure, they'd brought guns and knives, but their plan was to find and kill a mutant, they were not prepared for confrontation. This gave the shorthaired senshi an initial advantage. She managed to knock out six, three remained, one of which was armed with a machine gun of tremendous caliber. Uranus dove behind a wall as the bullets zoomed past her head.

"Gomen, Michiru, but if this keeps up, I'll have no choice but to use the Sword blaster." Boldly, she stepped out of her hiding place, to see a yellowish blur pass over her head. One of the Wolverine's lesser-known abilities is to leave friend and foe completely stunned with his actions. The feral man charged and slashed all three guns in half, then he threw a roundhouse kick at one. True to the cowardly nature of racists, the remaining pair ran.

"You're one of the girl scouts from the other day, right?" Wolverine confirmed as he retracted his claws, "You better leave this stuff to the professionals, rookie." He sniffed. "What the hell?"

"Che," Uranus took a look at her unrequired helper, he wore a brown and dark yellow suit, along with hood and a large, black mask over his eyes. The whole outfit and attitude displayed gave an air of fierceness, proper to a predator. "I happen to have experience in these situations (_with daimon at least_). I assume you're looking for the child as well."

"Yes, and you may also assume that we're wasting time just standing here." He ran off, with Uranus closely following. "You can tag along if you want, just make sure you don't get in the way."

"Once you see me in action, you're the one who's going to consider stepping aside."

Neptune met with a little trouble, her talisman wasn't a weapon like her lover's, and she wasn't as good in hand-to-hand combat, not against so many. The ocean senshi was going to have to break her own order and use one of her magical attacks. She was about to do so when she saw something that surprised both her and the hunters.

"Ororo-san!?" The ebony-skinned girl hovered above. She wore a black outfit, with no sleeves and bare shoulders, long gloves and a cape with yellow rim. That last article of clothing waved majestically in the wind she commanded.

"A chilling rain to douse your ire," Storm announced as water and wind hit her adversaries. It didn't take that much effort to scare them away; one however did not cower easily, he took aim and got ready to fire. That's when the ocean senshi knocked him out with a well-placed punch, the white-haired girl was quite surprised by the assistance. "Thanks," she said as she came down, "but who are you?"

"I am the senshi of the depths and embrace, Sailor Neptune. What sort of sorceress are you?" She had to feign ignorance, otherwise she'd compromise her identity.

"I don't use sorcery, you have nothing to fear from me," Storm chuckled, "and I can tell from your eyes that I don't have to fear you either. Perhaps we can help each other on this mission."

"Eto…" Neptune pondered a little, she had developed a high opinion of Ororo, but not enough trust for a situation such as this. Finally, her better judgment told her that she could use the help of a local. "Hai, let's go find the child." Both heroines retook the search.

"My name's Storm, by the way."

"Obviously."

Sailor Saturn, Pluto and Chibi-Moon had made their way into an old building, the young princess was certain that the blonde girl had entered the place.

"I'm finally beginning to realize what okousan means by 'more afraid of you than you are of her'," the pink-haired senshi said, "She's never going to let us find her."

"Finding her is only half the problem," Saturn added, "the real trick will be getting her to trust us."

"Feeling among equals should make her feel better," the time senshi guessed, "a little display from our skills should do the trick."

"No offense, Puu, but both yours and Saturn-chan's power is too destructive to make anyone relax." Chibi-Moon glimpsed into another room, "Nani? Whose voice is that?" She rushed inside with her best friend following.

"Don't you two wander off like that!" Pluto called sternly.

"We'll be okay," Saturn replied. The two youngest senshi peered through a window and saw three more hunters, one of then was the buzz-cut leader of the team, who were aiming their rifles towards a man in a blue outfit, the visor was a dead give-away.

"That's Scott-san!" the pink-haired senshi exclaimed, she was about to jump down when Saturn held her arm.

"He'll be all right," she assured with a grin, "just watch."

Cyclops was told to put his hands behind his head, an order he complied without questioning.

"Hey, I saw you on TV once," the brush-head said, "you're in one of those mutie gangs."

"Then what are we waiting for?" another hunter growled, "Let's blast him and do the world a favor."

"Blasting, good idea," Cyclops fired and blew all three guns into bits, he fired a fourth time at their feet. Seeing the large crater was enough to make them flee. The brown-haired man chuckled and went into the building his companions had entered previously.

"Wow! Saturn-chan, how did you know he was going to do that?" The silent senshi didn't answer, Chibi-Moon turned and saw concentration in her eyes.

"I hear sobbing. The girl's this way, come on!"

Beast and Jean Grey happened to be in the same building as the three senshi. The former walked along the corridors, looking into each room.

"With all of my animalistic features, one would think that my senses would be as keen as Logan's," the blue-furred man complained to himself. But he didn't need a sensitive ear to perceive the sound of a rifle behind him. He thought that his time was up, but instead of gunfire, he heard a yelp and a grunt. Beast spun to see his emerald-haired savior knockout the would be killer with an elaborate staff. "Umm, my thanks to you, Miss…"

"My guardian is the planet of time, I am the senshi of change, Sailor Pluto," was her introduction, "And just who did I happen to save?"

"At this moment, I respond to the name: Beast," he answered, a little taken aback by Pluto's proud intro.

"Well, Beast, it was nice to meet you, but I have two people to take care of, and a third that must be found."

"The child," the doctor guessed. Wordlessly, he decided to go along with her. "I owe you my life, and rest assured, I will return the gesture."

"Actually," the time senshi bit her lip, "you are the one who is being repaid."

The blonde girl was feeling miserable once more. She could faintly hear the sounds of battle right outside, and knew that she was the cause. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching.

"Who's there!?" She saw Jean, Chibi-Moon and Saturn at the doorway. The trio had met just a moment ago and decided to postpone introductions.

"Please calm down," the redhead said softly, "we came here to help you."

"Get away from me!" the blonde yelled as she threw another sphere. Once again, inexperience raised its head once more, only this time, the attack carried too much energy.

"Silence wall!" The orb exploded harmlessly off the force field, surprising both female mutants.

"How did you do that?" the blonde asked with amazement and fear.

"Same as you, I guess," Saturn answered, "knowing how to do it came to me as an instinct." Emotionally exhausted, the blonde collapsed, Jean went over and placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE A FREAK!" the child wailed.

"You are not," Jean insisted softly, "you're a girl like any other, you just posses a slight difference. Whether that difference will be good or bad, depends on the choices you make from now on." She looked at her eye to eye. "We can teach you what the right choices are, if you let us." Saturn and Chibi-Moon observed from behind, silently rooting for the young telepath. Everyone sighed with relief when the blonde nodded her acceptance.

Elsewhere, the buzz-cut leader of the hunters was desperately running for his pick-up truck. All of his men had dispersed, and frankly, he didn't give a damn where they were. He was just about to reach the door when he heard an unearthly voice calling his name.

"You can still beat them, all you need is some more muscle."

"What?" Brush-head turned around but saw no one.

"You brought plenty of weaponry to destroy that mutie-bitch, but not enough to face such adversaries. It seems that you will require a bit of my assistance."

"Whatever you are, you keep your freaky help away from me! I don't want anything to do with the likes of you!" He turned again and saw the face of the speaker.

"It is not your choice."

While Storm took the girl over to the vehicle the X-Men had brought, both teams (team and a half technically) faced each other.

"What will happen to her now?" Neptune asked warily.

"Right now, we're taking her somewhere safe," Cyclops answered, "Tomorrow, after she's rested, she'll be able to make a clearer choice."

"Well we're not so certain about that," Uranus replied, "Hai, we helped each other moments ago, but how can we be sure of your intentions?"

"We could ask you the same question, bub," Wolverine retorted, "If you don't approve you can take the kid with you," he taunted as his claws were drawn, "you just have to get past us." The wind senshi narrowed her eyes at the man she'd finally recognized as Logan. Saturn approached and took hold of her arm.

"Uranus, on this occasion **we** are the gaijin, the X-Men have priority on what to decide." The sand-blonde had no choice but to agree, besides, the senshi had no idea yet of what limits a mutant could reach.

"Each of us better go their own way then," Pluto said with an apologetic tone, "Perhaps we'll meet again." Just a she finished saying that, a loud crash was heard, everyone turned and saw a humanoid giant, with pitch black skin and spiky shoulders, wreaking havoc among the empty streets. It saw the heroes and roared with rage as it charged towards them, causing them to disperse. The monster then turned its attention towards Beast, who had ended up next to Chibi-Moon, and roared as it attacked once more. It was about to pound the blue-furred X-man when a large gash appeared on its forearm. Beast was quite surprised to see the petit Saturn with her glaive held forward.

"Why don't you take on somebody your own size?" the once dark-messiah challenged. The giant stood and sized up its opponent. Wolverine took a battle stance besides the silent senshi as he drew out his claws.

"You've got heart kid," the feral man recognized, "But do you know what you're doing? That stench is not from this world."

"Hai, it is not, and that's why we've got to stop it now," she explained as she readied an attack.

"Any idea of what we're up against?" Cyclops asked as he fired with enough force to stun an elephant, the ruby beam bounced harmlessly off the monster's hide. The brown-haired man cursed in surprise. He was a bit puzzled however, for some reason he recognized it.

"We know what it is," Neptune said, "it's a youma, an evil spirit."

"Huh?" Jean, who was standing next to the ocean senshi, stared incredulously, "What are you talking about?"

"Trust me, we have experience in this area." The redhead narrowed her eyes, she turned to face the dark giant and performed a quick mind scan.

"That's a person!!" she exclaimed, "Don't ask me how, but that thing is actually a human being!"

"Then he's possessed," Pluto explained, "The remedy is simple though, we just have to cleanse the evil out of him."

"We'll leave that to you people," Cyclops replied, "since none of us has a power to deal with the paranormal."

"The remedy is simple but unavailable," the mocha-skinned senshi added pathetically, "The one who could do it is miles away-Unless!" She glanced at the pink-haired princess who was being guarded by Beast, "Chibi-Moon might be able to pull it off."

"Who?" the brown-haired mutant asked as he fired a stronger beam. If it weren't for his visor, you would've seen his eyes widen after Pluto signaled the child. "You've got to be kidding!"

"Partly, the princess doesn't have nearly as much strength as her mother, but enough if the rest of us weaken the thing."

"Good plan," Uranus praised as she landed next to her friend, "What do you two say, ready for a new round?"

"Lead the way," Jean answered. They all came out of their refuge and stood firmly before their large opponent.

"World shaking!" "Deep submerge!" "Death scream." Cyclops and Jean pitched in with both an optic and a kinetic blast. The giant received each blow and staggered a bit, Wolverine growled and leapt up to land the _coup de grace_. The monster simply swatted him away, enough strength remained in its body for battle. It threw a tantrum, pounding its fists on the ground hysterically. The dark-skinned giant growled and charged against the five heroes. It was almost on top of them when a bolt of lightning struck it! Everyone looked up to see Storm swooping down.

"Hear and feel my name," the white-haired girl announced as she fired her entire arsenal: lighting, wind and ice. The multiple attack was more than fierce enough to bring the giant down for good.

"Chibi-Moon!" Pluto called, "you have to give it the final blow!"

"Nani?" It took a few seconds for the young senshi to realize her friend's plan. "Right!" She stepped forwards and summoned a Lunar Kaleidoscope, smaller than the one Usagi used to have.

"What in the world are you going to do with such an item?" Beast wondered.

"Quite frankly, try to pull off a miracle." The young princess aimed her weapon and looked straight into the giant's eyes, who was trying to get back into its feet after that barrage. She kept staring into those black eyes, she was waiting for them to give her a message, one that she needed to hear.

"_Help me…_"

"Moon gorgeous meditation!" Crystal-like bits of energy covered the giant. There was a blinding light for a second, and when it was gone, the X-men were astonished at the sight before them. The senshi were surprised at a lesser degree, this was routine to them after all. That dark-skinned monster was none other than the brush-head hunter.

"He seems to be all right," Beast said as he checked his pulse, "But what could cause such a transformation?"

"Whatever it was, we need to get him to a hospital," Cyclops pointed out.

"We'll take care of him," Saturn offered, "you still need to take that girl where she'll be safe." There was no time to argue, since sirens heralded authorities approaching. One final glance and each team went their own way.

*****

Manhattan:

The Outers and Chibi-Usa left the bigot at the hospital then went back to their hotel to get a well-deserved rest. It was sundown when they arrived, the girls went to bed while the grown-ups stayed at the living room a while. Setsuna turned on the television set.

"I don't want the little ones to hear us," the mocha-skinned woman said, "Small Lady won't approve of this conversation, and neither will Hime-chan I'm afraid."

"Hai," Haruka agreed, "It was quite a surprise to find out who the X-Men are, especially under those circumstances." She flopped down on the couch laughing. "I'll tell you one thing, those guys definitely need to work on their attire. With the exception of Logan-san, you can identify each of them right away."

"That reminds me," Michiru giggled, "When you were starting out as Sailor Uranus, you made that very same comment about our outfits."

"Hey! I didn't know about the magical field back then."

"What are the other racers going to say?" the violinist mimicked mercilessly, "Hey Tenoh-san, nice set you got there. How come you've been keeping it hidden?"

"Could we get back to the more important issue," Setsuna piped up, "What are we going to do about Xavier-sama and the others?" The couple sat together and thought for a minute.

"They're strong, and I respect that," Haruka admitted, "but we can't let our guard down. Are we letting ourselves be fooled by Xavier? Is he being fooled by someone else? What is that girl going to be taught, how to be a soldier?"

"The matter of it all is, we still ignore too much about mutants," the aqua-haired girl pointed out, "and the only solution for that in investigation. I hate acting like a hypocrite, but we'll have to keep close relation with them in order to do so."

"I feel awful about doing this to McCoy-san," Setsuna said, "he aided our Hime-chan, and during the fight, I saw him trying to defend Small Lady. But first impressions aside, we must do what's best for the princess." The longhaired woman bit her fingernail. "And then there's that thing we fought."

"I don't think we should worry about that yet," the racer replied, "it could've been an isolated incident."

"Maybe, but there was something familiar about that giant." The shorthaired girl sat up.

"Are you going back to the Time gate?"

"Ie, not yet. By the way, back at the school, did anyone else have a weird sensation as we left?"

"Now that you mention it," Michiru replied, "I was chatting with Ororo and Jean-san when I suddenly decided to leave."

"The same thing happened to me," Haruka said, "It felt as if someone-"

A loud noise interrupted her.

Hotaru and Chibi-Usa entered the bedroom, the pale girl sat down on the bed.

"Chibi-Usa-chan, aren't you feel tired after using your power like that?"

"Not really," the odango-headed girl answered, "it was kind of like using a muscle that's been numb for a while. I felt a bit tired after doing it, but I think I'll end up becoming stronger if I keep it up."

"It is pleasant not to become exhausted every five minutes." The violet-haired girl went over to get her pajama, "But tired or not, I'm going to sleep early, there's a lot of things I want to do tomorrow."

"With Rogue-tachi you mean," Chibi-Usa cleared out, "You're the first person I know, besides Ami-chan, who'd willingly spend her holiday at a school."

"Come on, you want to see them again too."

"Hai, and I believe Remy-kun is looking forward to see us eagerly." Chibi-Usa giggled as she saw her friend blush. Her face became unusually serious, "Hotaru-chan, I want to ask you something."

"Hai?"

"Well, it's about the conversation you were having with McCoy-sama while he tended to you. Your healing power helped us blend in with the others, but do you think-"

An explosion was heard from outside! Both girls ran to the window and scanned the horizon, it didn't take long for them to find the fiery source. Hotaru glimpsed towards the other window and saw her parents there.

"So much for sleep," she complained.

*****

Author's notes:

In case you're wondering, Henry McCoy was once human in appearance; he merely possessed agility and large feet. It was much later when he became the adorable blue fur-ball we all know.


	5. Unity 5

****

Unity

Chapter five:

It's not uncommon to see super-powered beings in New York, however, the attire worn by the five females leaping over rooftops was sure to draw attention.

When the outer senshi and Chibi Moon arrived at the place from were the blast had been heard, they discovered a full-scale riot. Several morlocks, led by a magma-skinned one were demolishing everything in site.

"If this is a diversion, it's much too destructive," Neptune observed, "and there seems to be no purpose to all this."

"It gets worse," Pluto noted, "take a closer look." Upon closer inspection, the senshi noticed that several humans were joining the brawl, armed with bats, broken bottles and other improvised weaponry. "We can't wait for the authorities to arrive, and when they do, they'll just end up hurting even more people."

"Hai," Uranus agreed, "Small Lady, you'll come along with Neptune and I, Saturn, you team up with Pluto."

"Right," the pale senshi replied, "Be careful, and remember, we're not fighting youma."

Rob and Cloud had gathered a group of the strongest fighters they knew. Their plan was awfully simplistic, to destroy everything and let surface dwelling mutants take the blame. While the ashen-haired Rob went around punching and melting stuff, his gray-skinned friend flew around in gas form intoxicating everyone.

"Nyah, nyah, guns don't hurt me," Cloud mocked, "Don't you think we've hung around long enough, Rob? The people are scared enough and the cops will be here any second."

"No need to worry about the police," the leader replied, "Just like you said, they can't do much against us."

"Hey, it's easy for you to brag, you just proven yourself the strongest morlock. Besides, it's not really the cops I'm worried about."

"Those goody-two-shoes X-dopes? If they show up, they'll see that-What the!?" The magma-skinned mutant raised his arms just in time to block Pluto's Garnet staff. Cloud was about to rush over to his friend's aid, but was halted by the Silence glaive's edge at his throat.

"I strongly suggest you put an end to this madness," the amethyst-eyed senshi warned, "otherwise, the consequences will be nasty."

"U-huh, whatever. Rob, you think these are the girls Gus mentioned?"

"I'll bet my lava on it," he glared at the long-haired one, "So, you think you can take on the grown ups?"

"Don't you dare blame me for your own bad influence, baka," Pluto growled, "Now fight!" She spun and tried to hit his left flank, Rob blocked again and countered with an uppercut that was barely avoided. The long-lived senshi could feel the awesome heat emanating from his fist.

"Please, just leave," Saturn asked Cloud as she kept a firm hold on her weapon, "no more people have to get hurt."

"Sorry yo disappoint you kid," the gray-skinned man answered, "but every revolution has its casualties." Upon saying this, he morphed into mist form. The silent senshi was taken by surprise and had no defense against the gaseous attack. She swung her glaive wildly, the flat side of the blade acted like a fan, and in this form it was like a kick to the stomach for him. Still, the toxin had affected the violet-haired girl, and now she was too weak to fight properly.

"Ugh," the gray-skinned man had returned to human form because of the blow. "I don't know what the hell that thing is, but I'm not getting near it no more," he groaned as he staggered away.

Meanwhile, two guys armed with shotguns were facing a pair of morlocks. One was extremely large and had a brutish appearance, she also had superhuman strength; the other one looked normal enough, except for color-changing spots on his skin, he stood in front and all bullets bounced off him. The mutated woman raised a car over her head, she was about to toss it at her enemies when Neptune showed up.

"Deep submerge!" The watery blast threw the vehicle away. Uranus charged and tackled the giant off her feet, then she threw a kick at the other one.

"Nani?" Her foot went clean through his body! The polka-dotted morlock had the ability to alter his density, from diamond-hard to intangible. He switched once more and backhanded the sand-blonde, the blow felt like a ton of bricks.

"Nice threads, girlie, but clothes don't make the man."

"Trust me, baka, I have the abilities to deserve this uniform. World shaking!" The attack hit its target thanks to the magic in it. The mutant was down, and so was his partner, beaten by Neptune. Chibi Moon ran up to the ones with the guns.

"You two okay?-Whoa!"

"Hands where I can see 'em, you rabbit-eared freak!" one of them said as he aimed his weapon at the princess.

"In case you didn't notice, baka, we just saved your lives!" the ocean senshi protested with ire.

"Uh huh," the other man said sarcastically, "the way I see it, you're only animals fighting over prey." He raised his gun. "No decent person can do those things, so-" (Thwip) "What the hell!?" A grayish strand suddenly attached itself to the guns, they were yanked away just as fast. Everyone turned and saw a man in a blue and red outfit clinging to a wall.

"I know that New York's infamous for its rudeness, but you guys take the cake."

"Aww man, we're not paid enough for this!" The vagrants tried to escape but Spiderman caught and attached them to the wall with his web, with a good slamming naturally. He climbed down to the senshi's eye-level.

"You okay? That was quite a scare."

"Hai," the pink-haired girl answered, "Domo arigato, Mr.…" Further sounds of fighting caught their attention, there were a lot more involved in the melee than the ones already mentioned.

"We'll talk later," the web-slinger said, "there's work to do." He threw another web. "Try to be careful next time, these people are too panicked to realize we're helping them," he warned before swinging away.

"That was a strange encounter," Chibi Moon commented, "What's wrong, Uranus? You look a little troubled."

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, Small Lady, but that guy just cost us a large bet." The younger senshi became puzzled and the aqua-haired one giggled.

The battle went on for several minutes, during which Rob fought against Sailor Pluto. The increase in his power plus his victories at the tournament had given him too much overconfidence. So the mocha-skinned senshi was able to keep him busy this whole time, and this was no easy task. The magma-skinned morlock glimpsed towards his companions and discovered that the rest of the senshi had beaten nearly all of them with Spiderman's assistance. He growled and leapt backwards, then he concentrated the most heat possible and released it in one powerful blast. Fortunately for the time senshi, Saturn had recovered enough to raise her Silence wall.

"Cloud, gather everyone! We're getting the hell out of here!" Those morlocks who were able to, escaped as fast as they could, the rest were left behind, after all this was war. The young princess ignored the escapees entirely and rushed to her friend's side.

"Saturn, are you all right!?" The silent senshi was using her glaive for support.

"To be honest, I feel awful," Saturn answered among tired breaths, "I need sleep, badly." Uranus picked her up gently.

"Let's hurry back to the hotel then. We'll figure out the rest once you're better." They surveyed the area before leaving, the damage was tremendous, but fortunately, very few people were hurt, so they didn't feel to disturbed when they teleported away.

Rob had originally planned a lot more destruction, so his next attempt was going to be even more brutal.

*****

Early morning, Daily Bugle:

Jameson and Robertson were at the former's office, the subject of their conversation was the battle several hours ago.

"It's going from bad to worse, Robbie. The police are still dealing with rioting here and there."

"And they're going to deal with lots more until this mess is over," the black man added, "And you don't have to tell me, you suspect Jack Stevens is behind all this."

"Right you are." J.J. took a puff from his cigar. "That creep's only looking for political favor. He doesn't stop to figure out the root of the problem nor the true solution."

"What do you mean?"

"Mutants are dangerous, Robbie. And do you know why that is?"

"Well…I suppose it has to do with-"

"They're kids!" Jameson hollered as he pounded the wall, "You know how they are at that age, thinking they can swallow the ocean in one gulp!" He sat down, "They've inherited all these modern commodities, thinking life is so damn easy. And now they get these powers, of course they're gonna go around doing as they please!" The mustached man took a deep breath, "It's all our fault, the older generation, for neglecting their upbringing." Robertson pondered upon the words his boss had just said. Jameson could be an arrogant jerk, but when he wanted to, he was a regular Solomon. Now, if only he practiced what he preached. There was a knock on the door. "Come in."

"Here are the photos, Mr. Jameson, just developed," a young brown-haired man said as he handed a folder, "I assure you, sir, they're my best so far."

"I'll be the judge of that, Parker," the chief editor replied gruffly. He ran through the pictures. "Should've known that wall-crawler would stick his nose into this," then he came over one picture that caught his attention, "Who the hell are they?" He showed the other two a photo of Sailor Pluto.

"I'm not sure," Peter answered, "they made a brief appearance a few days ago, I guess they're a new group trying to help people."

"Hmph! You mean trying to become famous. Just look at how ridiculously skimpy those outfits are."

"Come now, Jonah, you can't possibly judge them by the way they're dressed. Check out how the wavy-haired one's dispatching these three."

"A bazooka can do just as much damage," Jameson retorted as he set the senshi's photos apart, "If they're showing that much leg, these girls should be in a men's magazine, not a newspaper."

"I thought they'd be good enough for a tabloid, J.J.," Peter murmured as he took the pictures back, "I'll get back to work then." The young man left the office along with Robertson.

"Don't let Jonah get to you, Peter, the pictures are great."

"Yeah, but they didn't help with the rent. And I agree with you, appearance shouldn't have anything to do with being taken seriously."

"Oh? Didn't I overhear you the other day, comparing Jonah's moustache to Chaplin's." The older man laughed and put his arm around his young friend.

It was likely that last night was going to be the only encounter between Spiderman and the senshi. But Peter had a hunch that the sailor-suited girls were going to accomplish something very important before long.

*****

Xavier's school:

The professor watched the news with a grim look in his eye. Henry came from behind and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You're not omniscient, Charles, you can't spend your entire life using Cerebro to scan the planet."

"True, but by the looks of things, I'm going to have to make up for lost time." Dr. McCoy raised a curious eyebrow. "The leader of this outfit had very destructive thoughts, the only idea in his mind was 'death to all humans'."

"Many mutants feel that way," Henry rushed to say.

"Yes, but as strong as they were, these were merely lingering thoughts." The blue-furred man was stunned to hear this.

"It sounds like what I encountered yesterday." Both men turned to the door.

"What do you mean by that, Jean?" The redhead walked up to the couch and sat down.

"The morphed man we fought, Hank. I scanned his mind briefly and found something similar to what the professor described, he wanted to destroy all mutants."

"It isn't an uncommon idea either," Henry said as he rubbed his chin, "but I don't think we should mark this off as coincidence."

"Definitely not," Logan announced as he and Ororo entered the room, "Since our newfound friends were the ones to attend the party last night, I went there to investigate. I discovered the exact same scent the giant was carrying."

"Which means that the same person is behind both groups," the white-haired girl said, "he wants to destroy both humans and mutants."

"No," Charles corrected as he linked his hands and rested his head on them, "he wants us to destroy each other." Everyone fell silent.

"But," Jean was starting to feel frightened, "that's the same as saying it wants all of humanity destroyed! What can be gained from that?"

"No idea," the feral man said, "But whatever the purpose, the one pulling the strings must be awfully strong."

*****

The Hotel:

Although Hotaru felt ill during the first few hours, the poison was quick to leave her system, and she was up and about by late morning.

"Are you feeling better Hotaru-chan?" Chibi-Usa asked with concern.

"Just a little lightheaded."

"Should I call McCoy-san and tell them to be expecting us?" Setsuna asked as she put her hand on her daughter's forehead.

"Hai, I'm looking forward to meeting Rogue-tachi," the pale girl replied with a bright smile. The ruby-eyed woman grinned back.

"I'll make the call then."

"Then I guess Michiru and I will meet you later in the day," Haruka said, "Don't forget, this is supposed to be a family vacation."

"We won't forget, Haruka-kun. Hurry, Hotaru-chan, let's get ready."

*****

Steven's H.Q.:

Jack and Michael were about to greet an important visitor from Washington, Jim Rogers. Rogers was a middle-aged man, in charge of several undercover military projects. So undercover, that many people in the government ignored their existence. He had also been Steven's commanding officer and tutor in the army, and had kept in touch with the mousy-haired man all these years.

"Jim, so good to see you! How long has it been?"

"An eternity when you're chained to a desk, Jack," the older man quipped as he scratched his white sideburns, "But I can only stay here so long, let's get down to business."

"Everything that you need to see is at the office," Michael announced, "this way." The indigo-haired man followed the pair down the aisle, behind him were two secret service agents.

"I'm completely aware of the situation, but I still can't give the green light. This is too big to cover up, we're not talking some love affair scandal, we're talking the ultimate in robotics and A. I."

"We can't wait! Last night occurred because we didn't act first. If we want the mutants under control, we have to destroy each and everyone of them, now!"

"I know the threat those creatures represent, but try and understand, my hands are tied."

"You're going to do nothing!?" Stevens roared as he grabbed his friend by the neck, the agents reacted instantly and pinned him to the wall hard.

"Let him go," Rogers ordered tiredly as he spruced himself, "You're as impatient as always, Jack." They began walking again. "Now listen, I haven't given my approval for the project, but I have done other things to help your cause."

"Explain." By now the group had arrived at Stevens' office, Jim put his portfolio on the desk and took out some papers.

"Property deed, on the outside it will simply look like new campaign headquarters, but down below it is a research and development complex, not to mention the arsenal. All set to cover our needs."

"You have to admit sir, it's a pretty good deal," Michael said, "And who knows, maybe the mutants will get more violent and convince Mr. Rogers that drastic measures shall become necessary."

"I suppose so," the bigot admitted, after calming down a little, "Okay Michael, call everyone and tell them we're moving. Jim, tell me about that arsenal, if you don't want that weapon to come out, then we'll eradicate the reason."

"Strike at terror before terror can take a strike at us," the gray-haired man smiled, "you were always a good student."

*****

Xavier's school:

Rogue was lying on the top bunk reading a magazine and toying with her streak, trying to distract her mind away from her worries. Surprise, it wasn't working. The brunette was aware of the grave situation, she had been paying attention to her teachers' behavior and knew that something big was going on; last of all, she was worried about that girl she had met yesterday, Hotaru. Rogue realized they possessed a similar complexion, but what made the Japanese girl so vulnerable was her innate kindness. New York was going to eat her alive!

"Penny for your thoughts." Rogue looked up and saw Giselle clinging to the wall.

"I thought Ororo warned you not to crawl around until you were sure that ability was permanent."

"Relax, I made it all the way from the hallway, there's no need for waiting any-Whoa!" the reptilian girl slipped and fell on the floor, knocking the nightstand over.

"You were saying?" Rogue teased as she looked down.

"Shut up, or I'll make you have scales for a week," Giselle threatened, "new ones itch like crazy." Both girls started picking up the mess. "Hello, what's this?" The green-scaled girl had found the picture of a lunar landscape, what made it so unusual were the columns and old palace.

"It's the copy of a photo Dr. McCoy has in his office," the pale one explained, "A colleague of his sent it, umm…Dr. Richards."

"Heh, who would've thought that rubber egghead had a thing for fantasy art?"

"Actually, they claim that's a real photo, no touch-ups. It's from a region called 'blue area', supposed to have an atmosphere." Giselle stared at the picture with wide, yellow eyes.

"Manmade ruins at the moon? You're pulling my leg." At that moment, Kathy peered into the room and knocked to get her friends' attention. She then made elaborate gestures over her head.

"Are you trying to say Chibi-Usa's here?" Rogue beamed. The white-haired girl nodded vigorously.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Giselle exclaimed as she bolted through the doorway.

Jean was the one to welcome Setsuna and the children inside.

"You two made quite an impression yesterday," the redhead commented, "Remy and the rest are very eager to see you again."

"I'll bet Remy-kun is," Chibi-Usa said as she nudged Hotaru, the violet-haired girl blushed horribly. "By the way, Jean-san, are you feeling better today?"

"Better?" Jean became more puzzled when Hotaru elbowed her friend.

"Never mind, Grey-san. Chibi-Usa-chan just likes to worry about people, it's a quirk she has." She gave the pink-haired girl a severe stare. _Are you sure there's no klutz-gene inside you?_

"Would you please take care of the little ones, Jean-san?" the mocha-skinned woman requested, "With your permission, I'd like to go to McCoy-san's office."

"No need to look for me," the blue-furred man announced as he came into view, "Actually, Miss Meioh, Charles and I would like to have a word with you."

"Certainly," the long-haired woman answered. She had a very good idea of what the conversation subject was going to be; and so did Hotaru, who tugged on her sleeve.

"Agree to anything they assume about me," the amethyst-eyed girl whispered.

"Gotcha."

Charles Xavier was looking out the window, deep in thought.

"Come in, Henry," he said before there was even a knock at the door. Setsuna was only partly surprised when she entered the room.

"I was told about your telepathic abilities, Xavier-sama, but that was plain old showing-off."

"An occasional game can be quite soothing," the older man replied, "Please be seated, Miss Meioh, I'd like to know a bit more about young Hotaru, her history and background."

"Her history after she manifested you mean," Setsuna guessed, the professor nodded, "I honestly can't say much, Haruka-kun, Michiru-san and I adopted Hime-chan only recently. We didn't know her very well previously (_nor even bothered to do so_) and she is very reluctant to talk about her past. I can only repeat what you already know, how her abilities caused her to become shunned by her peers."

"Yes, but there have been improvements since she came into your custody," Henry assumed.

"Hai, plenty! Both in her mental and physical health. Her self-esteem is still low, but we're working on it." There was a brief pause in conversation. "You want us to register Hime-chan here, into the school, ne?"

"Only if you consider it to be necessary," Charles cleared out. The emerald-haired woman leaned back on her chair.

"The truth is, Xavier-sama, McCoy-san, I ignore too much to make a proper decision. I never knew Hotaru-chan's abilities made her a mutant, in fact, the term 'mutation' is still rather new to me." She thought her next words over carefully, "But what's really stopping me is the school itself. You seem an earnest man, professor, but all of this seems too…"

"Too secretive," Charles guessed with a gentle tone, the Japanese woman lowered her gaze. "I understand, many people have their own reservations, all these manifested teenagers, gathered in this institution, you have good reason to doubt. 'What is it they're being taught?'" Setsuna gulped when she heard her own suspicions from last night. "Rest assured I am not using my powers, only experience from previous interviews."

"As I stated yesterday," the doctor said, "the school is a haven. People fear us, Miss Meioh, and most mutants fear themselves."

"And said fear stems from lack of control," the ruby-eyed woman guessed.

"Correct, and as you may have seen in the news," the blue-furred man continued, "that control is often abused. So you see, our goal is threefold, we want to teach the young ones acceptance, control and responsibility."

"Hai, but we're only one step away from square one." Setsuna got up and walked around the desk to face the professor. "Tell me Xavier-sama, what is your idea of responsible behavior?" Many would've taken that insinuation as offensive, but the smile never left Charles' lips.

"Very true. Bottom line, this school teaches the ideas of one man, and history has proven how dangerous this can be." He turned and looked out the window. "Some do not agree with me, others oppose me, the rest consider me a fool. All I have is an optimistic view," he glanced at Henry, "and friends to help me. And all I ask for, Miss Meioh, is you trust. My intentions may not be enough, but they are sincere, I only want the best for young Hotaru."

"Well…" Setsuna took a moment to search her mind. Indeed, Professor Xavier was not spying in her head, and her thoughts were her own. Plus, she could tell from the older man's voice that he was honest, not the evil agent or puppet she'd believed him to be. _The X-Men are fighters but because they have to be, as long as they are feared they'll be attacked, our experience at the diner is proof enough. _By chance, she caught a glimpse of Hotaru and Chibi-Usa in the garden. "I'll have to discuss this with my sisters, I can't make this decision alone."

"Of course," Charles nodded, "If you have any other questions, please ask."

"Ie, I have no more doubts left," she said warmly, "But I would like a bit of your time, McCoy-san, our conversation yesterday was interrupted at a very interesting point."

"'Twas never in me to refused a lady," the blue-furred man said as he arose and bowed.

The group had reunited under the same tree and Giselle took her place on the branch.

"You know?" Hotaru said all of a sudden, "I've had these healing powers for years and I never stopped to wonder. Where did they come from? What made us what we are?"

"Bad luck," David answered in his usual tone, "The professor has an interesting theory, something to do with genetics and all that."

"Not quite," Rogue countered, "it's more inclined into evolution." Kathy tapped on her shoulder and gave the brunette a challenging gaze. "I know the two are related, but not in our case. I doubt we inherited anything from our parents."

"Right, and I have other disagreements with that idea," Giselle said, "Evolution takes generations to occur, we appeared overnight. Mutations can't be natural, there must be an artificial cause of some sort."

"And there is one," Remy replied, "well, the cause at least, the result is perfectly natural."

"You're not making any sense, LeBeau," the dark-haired boy accused, "If don't know what were talking about, then shut up."

"I think I know what our bayou friend is trying to say," Bobby said in Remy's defense, "You've all heard of Darwin, right? The adaptation of the species."

"I know what you're going at," Hotaru guessed, "All of the damage humanity has caused, deforestation, the ozone layer, polluting the seas, this planet has become rather inhospitable to live in. The new generations must be stronger in order to survive."

"That sounds logical," Giselle said, "But I still don't swallow that 'jump ahead' thing, nor that this is the first time it happens."

"Maybe it's the second," Chibi-Usa spoke, "It was probably mutation which caused humans to appear in the first place. And that's why the missing link was never found." Everyone looked at the pink-haired girl with surprise, the princess herself was quite amazed at her conclusions.

"In other words," Rogue said, "we're the next step up from chimps."

"While others remain silly little monkeys," the pale girl said as she noogied her friend.

"I still say I prefer playfulness," the odango-headed one retorted cheerfully. She checked out her watch. "Look at the time! We promised to meet Haruka-kun and Michiru-san later today."

"Hai," Hotaru got up, "Gomen, but we really must leave."

"What are you talking about?" Bobby asked, "The day's still young, we can spend it together."

"You can come with us?" Chibi-Us asked with visible surprise.

"Sure, this is a school not jail, we'll need a chaperone of course, but we can go out anytime." The fair-haired teen looked up, "Those of us who can that is."

"Ah, I'll be fine with some cable and popcorn," the green-haired girl claimed. She looked down at David, "And you, you stubborn grouch, don't you dare say you're staying just to keep me company."

"Don't worry, lizard hag, I wasn't planning on staying anyway," he replied with a smirk. Giselle grumbled at that. "But no one's going anywhere until we get permission. Come on."

Setsuna was glad to accept the extra company, and quite surprised to see who the one in charge of the mutant youngsters was going to be.

"I thought you never went anywhere," the emerald-haired woman commented as Dr. McCoy put on specially tipped gloves.

"Iron bars do not a prison make," Henry quoted, "I couldn't attend the concert because an overcoat and fedora are not proper attire, but for a stroll in Central Park, they suffice." He finished putting on the hat, "Wouldn't you say?"

"Hmm, it's a bit eccentric and that clearly doesn't become you. But I think I can come up with something overnight." The blue-furred man chuckled then gallantly offered his arm to Setsuna.

"Shall we go?"

"Hai, let us."

*****

The underground:

Cloud walked among his companions, appraising the losses. In truth, only a few had been left behind, but some of his friends were amongst those few. Plus, he'd heard many rumors about the way mutants were kept prisoner. He found his leader at the mouth of the tunnel.

"Still ignited?" the gray-skinned man asked, "You've been like that two days straight, you're going to tire yourself out."

"A leader must keep appearances," the magma-skinned one replied, "Show a sign of weakness and you lose all your respect and power."

"In my opinion you'll be showing common sense," Cloud said as he leaned against the wall, "When we started this I thought the X-Men would be our only worry, but now-"

"Excuse me, we?" Rob interrupted, "**I** am the one who started it all. Since the beginning you are only following me, just like all of these." He pointed at his friend with a fiery finger, "So don't take credit that's not yours!"

"Okay, okay! I stand corrected, jeez." The shape-sifting morlock stepped away cautiously. "As I was saying, now we have to worry about those girls in miniskirts. Man, that little girl with the spear turned out to be something."

"I told you they were strong." The pair looked up and saw Gus approach. "I'll bet you saw their outfits and thought they'd be a piece of cake."

"You speak the truth, o' slimy one. And I'll tell you one thing, that short-haired blonde has really trained her legs right."

"Keep your brain above your waist, bro," a new voice spoke, "You're all acting stupid enough already." Rob was the one to approach Jennifer.

"Didn't I order you to stay at the colony?"

"If you're not going to listen to me, I won't listen to you," the orange-skinned girl retorted. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was a strange gesture on her face a second before that, as if she'd realized a moment of weakness from her part. "I will not get angry," she whispered, "Cloud, why do you insist on doing this? You know that we won't gain anything this way."

"Look sis," the gray-skinned man got to his knees, "right now it may seem that we're only going out to get hurt, but that's only because we're barely beginning. Have a little patience, you'll see that there's a lot to be won."

"For who's gain?" Jenny questioned, "Look, I'm not going to insist because I know you're tired, but as soon as that thing starts getting to you, I'm pulling you out." Then she left without awaiting a reply.

"Isn't that cute? A little girl worried for her big brother," the goop-covered one mocked.

"Shut up man," Cloud said tiredly, "she alone has been giving me a hard time already."

"She's going to give everyone a hard time!" Rob growled, "If that stupid bitch keeps babbling about those hallucinations of hers-"

"Watch it!"

"-everyone's going to be too scared to get anything done." The sound of quarreling caught the morlock leader's attention, "What the hell is going on over there?"

While Gus, Cloud and Robert were talking, a more violent discussion was brewing among the rest.

"Nice going, jackass," a morlock woman complained, "I guess it doesn't do any good to throw stuff at someone who can throw beams, huh?"

"Shut your pie hole, I didn't see you do any better."

"That's right," a scaly one seconded, "in fact, since the fight started all you did was boast your crappy power, which was barely useful."

"The pot calling the kettle black, you don't even have a power, you're just a martial-arts poseur."

"And he's still more useful than you in this war," the second one yelled with even more anger, "Heck, I don't even know why Rob let's broads into this. Women should be left behind where they belong!"

"Why you little!!" She was about to lunge forward but a column of fire got in the way.

"Save it for the humans," Rob growled as he came over, "you three go back to base and sleep it off. You'll hear from me tomorrow, if I consider **any** of you to be useful, understood?"

"Yes sir." "Yeah." The trio went down the tunnel, throwing dirty stares against each other. Gus stepped up to his leader.

"Wouldn't it be better if you sent them down different tunnels? Lest they start fighting again."

"If you're so worried, then go with them!" Something in the magma-skinned mutant's voice caused the gooey one to tremble. As the former left, Cloud walked up.

"That stuff your sis talks about, it's something about a weird presence, right?"

"Right," the gray-skinned one answered, "And I'm starting to believe her."

*****

Central Park:

Two groups were formed almost immediately upon arrival; Henry and the grown-up outers went to look at a modern art exhibit, while the young ones searched for something that had the least to do with schooling possible. Soon, smaller groups were formed, Bobby kept Chibi-Usa company, Hotaru decided to have a serious talk with David and Rogue teamed up with Kathy to keep Remy on a leash.

"I've heard a little bit about those girls in scout uniforms," the cold-wielding boy told Chibi-Usa, "but never enough to believe they weren't fiction."

"Believe me, Bobby-kun, they're as real as you and I." The princess looked up, "What puzzles me is how we never heard anything about what's been going on in this country."

"Hey, you're busy with giant lizards and all that," the mutant teen explained, "Besides, weird happenings aren't really news when they come from here."

"Nani, what do you mean?"

"It's New York, weird is the city's middle name. Every day you're bound to see a guy running around naked shouting that the world will end Wednesday."

"Cheese whip is Satan's feces!!"

"…Or something."

"…So I see." The odango-headed girl took a second to regain composure, "Eto, back to the senshi, any opinions about one in particular?"

"Hmm, now that you mention it, I'm a bit intrigued by the little one in pink."

"Really?" Chibi-Usa asked excitedly.

"Yeah, so far she seems capable of is getting in the way." Bobby wouldn't find out the reason for Chibi-Usa's huffing for a while.

"David-san, could I have a word with you?" Hotaru requested.

"It's a free country," the dark-haired boy answered.

"It's about Chibi-Usa-chan, she's my best friend and I don't like the way you treat her."

"I'm not fond of her and you can't change my mind," he retorted harshly.

"Hai, I have no right to control you. But you shouldn't dislike people just because they're a different, umm…"

"Race, specie? I don't know and I don't care, I'm just not fond of the girl."

"But why? She's been nothing but nice to everyone since you've met her."

"Nice or polite? You said so yourself, she had no idea you were a mutant until now (_which is quite dumb_). Who's to say she won't start treating you differently?"

"She's my friend, of course she won't!" the amethyst-eyed girl protested angrily, "David-kun, what happened to you? What makes you act so?"

"Leave me alone," the dark-haired teen said as he turned away, "I don't feel like talking no more." Hotaru sighed and walked away, she knew that Chibi-Usa wouldn't think ill of her. "……" She was pretty sure.

Henry made quite an insightful analysis of each sculpture, drawing Setsuna's complete attention, and although modern art was not Michiru's cup of tea, she was also quite interested, only Haruka was getting bored. Besides, she had other issues in mind.

"Setsuna-san, did you find out anything important at the school?" the sand-blonde asked quietly.

"Hai," Setsuna whispered back, "but we'll talk about that later, right now I want to listen to McCoy-san."

"I understand that, but at the rate he's going, we'll be here all day."

"And we don't have much time either," the violinist added as she joined in, "We must return to Japan in order to protect Usagi-chan, not the mention getting the girls back in school, and I'd hate to leave this case unconcluded."

"I agree," the mocha-skinned woman said, "but now isn't the time, you'll just have to wait until we're-"

"Pardon," McCoy interrupted.

"Hai!" The female trio felt like a student caught sleeping.

"I just received a call from Charles on my cellular," the blue-furred man explained, "Please excuse me for a moment."

"Go right ahead, McCoy-san," Michiru answered, then she turned back to her sisters "From his tone of voice, it seems like something important."

"Hai, and I'll bet it concern the X-Men," the short-haired one said rubbing her chin, "Michiru and I will check it out. Setsuna-san, cover for us."

"Matte! How am I supposed to do that?" But the pair had already teleported away. "Che, I'll be sure to make up an embarrassing excuse, Haruka-kun." Henry was back after a few minutes. "What was it?"

"Bad news I'm afraid, but it's not something you should burden yourself with." The professor's message was that several mutants had started fighting each other in the middle of the street and were causing a panic.

"Well, shouldn't you attend to it?"

"No, it doesn't require immediate attention." It was happening too far away to get there in time. "And our present priority is right here," he added as he signaled the kids.

"Hai, we can't just leave the kids here." _The X-Men should be able to handle whatever the problem is, and they'll have enough help with Neptune and Uranus_.

"By the way," the doctor commented as he looked around, "What happened to Haruka and Michiru?"

"A minor inconvenience," Setsuna said mischievously, "Haruka-kun is…"

Unbeknownst to them all, the whole group was being observed by three agents sent by Rogers.

"We hit paydirt," a bearded one said, "almost every one of those kids has the x-factor, and so does that big guy in the trench coat."

"Don't you mean all of them?" the second one asked, "According to this radar, that goth girl, the one with bunny ears and that walking centerfold also have something."

"Yeah, but it's not a mutation, or maybe a new sort."

"Right, we should inform this at headquarters. Let's grab that white-haired one and… Hey, K, get your head out of the clouds!"

"Uh, guys," the third one stuttered, "Who's making that shadow?" All three turned and discovered the source.

"Kill them."


	6. Unity 6

**Unity**

**Chapter six:**

Central Park:

Chibi-Usa hurried up to Hotaru, who was walking a bit aimlessly in quite a pensive mood.

"What's wrong, Hotaru-chan? This isn't the time or place to get glum."

"Ie, it's not that. I was just going over the conversation I had with David-san."

"Hai, he is a bit of a pain," the pink-haired girl said as they went back to Bobby, "But I guess I shouldn't blame him; he's not mean, he's just angry. And besides, it's not as bad as being teased for looking like an eight-year-old at 500." The pale girl raised an eyebrow.

"You know, I often wonder how minna-san fail to notice this second similarity between Setsuna-mama and yourself. We should talk about it someday."

"I guess eye color is easier to notice," the princess giggled. Hotaru smiled back, then her eyes went wide in shock.

"Chibi-Usa, duck!!"

"Nani!?" She turned as she was pulled down and saw a woman about to strike her with a large branch. She would've hurt the young girl badly, if she hadn't been hit in the face with a snowball.

"Run for cover, now!" Bobby yelled as he created another icy projectile. The girls looked around, it wasn't just that woman. Out of the blue, nearly everyone in the park was attacking them.

Remy and Rogue worked together to keep Kathy from harm, since the silent girl had no way of defending herself. He threw charged pebbles at two guys, while Rogue used some of the moves she'd learnt from Logan. David was too far from the rest, so he had to hold his own against three. Only Henry and Setsuna were fighting properly.

"Even the children are after us!" the emerald-haired woman exclaimed as a stone hit her shoulder, "But why?"

"I have no idea, but we'd best escape," he answered, "Let's gather the kids and head for the car." _If only the others weren't busy._

*****

About the same time, the rest of the X-Men were dealing with a brawling trio of morlocks. Cyclops tried to stun the large woman with a well-placed beam, it didn't work. He got ready for a counterattack, but she just kept on fighting her original opponents. Wolverine jump-kicked the one with scales, flooring him.

"Now, are you gonna stay down, or do I have to keep you down?" the feral man taunted as he drew out his claws, "Huh?" His would-be-opponent just shoved his way past him and went back to his own fight. That's when Uranus and Neptune showed up.

"Hey, those three are part of the group we fought last night," the latter noted, "What's going on?"

"Umm, my guess is we're being snubbed," Storm answered, "When we got here, these guys were all over each other. Except him." It was Gus. Jean was tending to him, and indeed, he seemed to be the only one unaffected by this madness.

"Don't ask me," the gooey one said, "We were taking a shortcut down that alley when the fight broke out all of a sudden. Their argument was getting more and more violent, but I never expected this."

"Well, they seem to be busy enough already," the wind senshi observed, "We could just sit this one out and let them finish each other." One of the morlocks threw a blast and destroyed a wall.

"Brilliant plan," Wolverine mocked.

"Look, it doesn't matter if they're against us or not," Cyclops piped up, "We must stop them now." The brown-haired man set his visor "We'll take them two to one, fight until your opponent's unconscious. With luck, we'll be done in a few minutes, alright?"

"Hai," Uranus answered, even though she disliked being given orders. "Let's do it then. World shaking!"

*****

Back at the park, the battle had grown into a closed circle, with Chibi-Usa and Hotaru at the center. The young pair hadn't been given the chance to slip away and henshin, and Setsuna didn't have much luck either.

"These people are restless," Bobby panted, "What's going on? A person can't possibly fight after this." He has right to be puzzled, he'd used his power to numb some of them and yet they kept going.

"They almost seemed possessed," Remy added.

_I'm quite sure they are, the ruby-eyed woman thought. __By the Kami, all I need is one second. "McCoy-san, I'll try to make it to the car and bring it here. You try to round-up the kids."_

"Right," the blue-furred man agreed, "good luck!" Setsuna sprinted her way out of the fight. It was easier than she had thought at first, for the attackers had no real interest in her. So she assumed it was the mutant students they were after.

"I just hope Miss Meioh hurries back," Rogue panted as she kicked another one, "I won't be able to keep up-KYAA!!" Somebody grabbed her face with his bare hand, she managed to shove him away immediately.

"Rogue!" Remy rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"

"Uh-huh, I don't think I got that much." The streaked girl gasped with fright. "Chibi-Usa. They're after Chibi-Usa!!"

"Huh!?" Setsuna stopped and glimpsed back. This moment of distraction cost her a blow to the head with a handbag that left her out cold.

"Ie, Setsuna-mama!" Hotaru gritted her teeth. "Come on Chibi-Usa-chan, we're making a run for it-Nani!?"

"Hotaru-chan!" A muscular man who had been jogging a few minutes ago, raised the violet-haired girl over his head. "Let go of Hotaru-chan, you big gorilla!!" The odango-headed child ordered as she pounded him. What he did was throw the small girl towards some bushes far away, then he turned his attention towards Chibi-Usa. There was a gleam in his vacant eyes that made her tremble. "Eto, you're not taking that gorilla thing as personal, ne?"

"On guard!" Out of nowhere, David charged and backhanded the large man. The blow was quite fierce since his hands had turned into large, bony claws, his mutant power. The pink-haired girl's mouth went wide open when she noticed this.

"Now get the hell out of here," the dark-haired boy ordered, "before-GAHH!!" A shot was fired and he was hit in the hand! It hurt terribly, fortunately, there wasn't much damage thanks to the extra-hard bone.

"David-kun!" Chibi-Usa looked up and saw one of the men who had come under Rogers' orders, the one called K. He was armed and aiming straight for her head. She wasn't fast enough to escape, Bobby and Remy had drained their energies, and Rogue and Beast were too far away. There was no one or nothing to stop the bullet.

"Silence Wall!" The barrier appeared in the nick of time. K spun and found the youngest senshi holding her glaive against him.

"My guardian is the planet of silence, Saturn. I am the senshi of death and rebirth, Sailor Saturn!" the suited man, and everyone else, was bewildered by this sudden appearance. But they were even more surprised when he gave a shriek of terror, for when he did so, a dark cloud flowed out of him. It floated there for an instant before flying away at great speed. All of the people who'd been fighting staggered then fainted. David stepped up to Saturn, who stood there blinking.

"Nice spear, but I don't think it's enough to scare a guy like that."

"He wasn't," she replied, "that man wasn't the one who got scared, it was that thing." _But what was it? She wondered._

"Whatever it was, it's gone," Remy said as he stepped up, "And by the way, who are you exactly?"

"Didn't I say it already?"

"You know what I mean," the red-eyed boy snapped, "This situation started and ended too suddenly. Remy wants answers and you're the only one who can give them."

"Me?" the silent senshi stepped back, "I know as much about this as you do, maybe even less. If it's answers you want you'll just have to wait."

"Well I'm not very patient, girl," David threatened with a sharp finger at her cheek.

"Excuse me!" Chibi-Usa cut her way in between the three, "Right now we have more urgent matters. These people need attention and we're the only ones available."

"Right," Remy agreed, then he slapped himself on the forehead, "_Merde! We forgot about Hotaru."_

"Urk! Umm," Saturn stuttered, "I better get going and see what I can find out." Throwing her friend a wink, she took a few steps and teleported.

Remy and Bobby hurried towards the bushes to search, Chibi-Usa went there to distract them a little. While David stood there, grunting painfully. Kathy put her hand on his shoulder and gestured for him to slow down. Changing the shape of his hands was a painful procedure, especially when rushed, even more so thanks to the stinging wound.

"Okay," he muttered, "just help me back to the car."

"Miss Meioh, Miss Meioh, are you all right?" Henry tried to rouse Setsuna as gently as he could.

"Hai," she responded groggily, "I wasn't hit that hard. How are Hime-chan and Chibi-Usa-chan?"

"Hotaru's all right," Remy answered, "unless I'm speaking too soon." He was helping the pale girl stay on her feet, those quick changes and teleportation had worn her out.

"I'm just a little sore from the crash, nothing serious."

"Well, if you need help of any sort," the brown-haired boy offered as he took her hand, "Remy will be right there to-ugh!" Rogue had come up from behind and smacked him in the head.

"Quit flirting, swamp rat, and get going. There are a lot of people to take care of."

"Right," the blue-furred man agreed, "I better go check on them myself."

"Actually, McCoy-san," the mocha-skinned woman said, "it would be best if you took your students away. Please don't get me wrong, but it wouldn't be convenient for the likes of you to be seen here with so many people injured."

"I understand," he responded, "Will you be able to tend to them on your own?"

"Hai, the ambulances shouldn't take long." Henry gathered the mutant kids and left, while Hotaru healed Setsuna's bump. "Well, at least now we know that gas-like creature is provoking all the riots. We still have to figure out exactly what it is though."

"And why it reacted like that upon seeing Hotaru-chan," Chibi-Usa added, "Also, it was after me." She turned to Setsuna and saw her thinking hard, biting her thumbnail. "What is it, Puu? Do you remember something?"

"I'm trying to, Small Lady. Kuso, this is all too familiar."

"In the meantime, let's take care of these people while we wait for Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama," the amethyst-eyed girl suggested, "Maybe we'll find out something if we all put our heads together."

*****

Even when they were only three opponents, the battle was long and tiring. But the X-Men, senshi and Gus managed to defeat the raging morlocks.

"I think we finished just in time," Neptune said, "I can hear the sirens approaching. So now what do we do?"

"Leave these guys to the police of course," her love answered, "These guys are too dangerous to be left free."

"Whoa there!" Gus protested, "These guys are my friends, and I'm not going to let a single one of them go to jail."

"Be it as it may, the sailors do have a point," Storm said, "Whatever drove your friends crazy might affect them again. Think you can handle them on your own?"

"Look, they're hurt, and no human's going to help them. Work with me here, we've got healers back at the colony."

"You can't take all three of them," Jean challenged.

"And even if you could, they'll probably keep slipping off," Wolverine quipped.

"Shut up. All I need is to get them off the street." The morlock was getting visibly agitated. "But the cops are nearly here."

"And that's why we're going to help you," Cyclops announced.

"What?" "Nani?" "Huh?"

"He's right, a mutant won't get the proper attention. Storm, keep the police at bay, the rest of us will carry the fallen," he turned to the senshi, "Can we count on you as well?"

"Hai," Neptune answered, "even if we don't fully agree with you."

While the white-haired girl held the police with mist and mini-hurricanes, the senshi and X-men carried the unconscious morlocks down a manhole. When Storm saw the lid close, she flew away. Being claustrophobic, she would've never been able to stand going underground.

"Okay, we're done," Wolverine said as he put the last one down. He sniffed a bit, "This path's used often, he won't have to wait long for help to arrive.

"That's good to know," Jean said, "They're in good shape, except for the bruises we gave them.  They seem awfully tired, but they didn't fight that fiercely."

"Let me check." Neptune knelt next to the redhead and used her mirror. "Just as I thought, their energy's been drained."

"Energy?"

"It's hard to explain, but they'll recover after resting." The wavy-haired senshi turned to Gus, "All you have to do is wait for them to wake up."

"And they won't go crazy again?" he asked.

"Experience tells me they won't, but be careful anyway." There was nothing more to do and much less to be said, so the heroes left the gooey morlock to himself.

"Are you sure of what you've done?" Uranus asked Cyclops once they were back outside, "They'll probably cause more trouble as soon as they're feeling better. Also, they could have given us a clue as to what is going on in the city."

"Right! We could've just waited there for a few hours until they woke up. We've got nothing to do anyway," the feral man replied sarcastically, "Listen, rookie, you're useful at battles, but you better leave the thinking to the home team."

"Well if you feel so confident," Neptune challenged, "We'll let you crack this case open on your own."

"Oh?" Cyclops tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, "I suppose you'll do so much better than us."

"Right," the sand-blonde senshi retorted, "And we'll be back to rub it on your faces afterwards," she added as they teleported away. The three X-Men watched the empty spot for a while.

"Can you believe those two?" the brown-haired man asked his friends, "I don't think I've ever seen anyone so arrogant before."

"You two are not too shabby yourselves," Jean scolded. Both men turned to her with questioning gazes. "Have you forgotten the giant at Brooklyn already? The scouts were the ones who knew what to do, we need their help for this, Scott."

"You're starting to sound more and more like Chuck, you know that?"

"Jean's right, Logan. These fights break out all of a sudden and for no apparent reason. Whoever transformed that man is the only clue we have, and the scouts have the knowledge we need to go further."

"Maybe, but we still ignore too much of each other. Consider this, how is it they know so much about these demons, energy and stuff?" The redhead glared at him.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"I've met a lot of two-faced people in my life, Jean. Helpful as they may be, we shouldn't give our trust so easily."

"Time will tell," Cyclops said as he led the way back to the vehicle. He thought about his friend's suspicions. Logan was partly right, trust is very hard to earn, it had taken quite a while for the X-men to just get along with him; but it all turned out well in the end, the same could be true for the scouts. Also, and more worrisome, was the fact that the mutants they'd fought were trying to destroy each other.

*****

Haruka and Michiru received a shock when they returned to the others. They had a lot of questions, but decided to wait until they were back in the privacy of their hotel room.

"So you were attacked a few minutes after we left," the racer grumbled as she dropped on the armchair, "what a coincidence."

"I doubt both incidents were related, Haruka-papa, at least not beyond facts we know for sure."

"Hai," the aqua-haired girl agreed as she held her mirror, "When I checked on the mutants a while ago, I noticed a queer aura around them, it looked like a sort of infection. And I got the same readings at the park."

"But it couldn't have been controlling both groups at the same time," the future princess pointed out, "I felt the youma's power as it escaped, it wasn't that strong."

"Which means it was using that man it possessed as protection," Michiru added, "But enough recaps, let's try figuring out something new. Our first question: Why was it after Small Lady?"

"The only reason that a youma would go after her specifically," the sand-blonde answered, "is that it knows she's the princess of Crystal Tokyo. It must be here on an mission to hunt her down."

"Ie," Setsuna countered, "if time travelling had occurred I would've felt it. But your deduction isn't that far off, Haruka-san. It must have a slight idea of who we are, which explains its behavior in front of Hime-chan; when it saw the Silence Glaive, it must have recognized Saturn as-" she stopped when she noticed Hotaru staring at her. "Ahem…well, this leads me to believe this creature is one we confronted in the past, that's how it knows about us."

"From the Silver Millenium, huh?" Haruka rubbed her chin, "But if that's true, it would be in Tokyo after Usagi-tachi." She started tapping her foot angrily, "We're getting nowhere." They remained quiet for a while, each trying to come up with the best conclusion. Chibi-Usa made a suggestion.

"Why not tell the X-Men? They might be able to help."

"How do you figure that out?" the mocha-skinned woman asked.

"Well, this youma is controlling both humans and mutants, and the X-Men have expertise on how both groups relate. With their help we may be able to solve this puzzle."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Surprisingly, it was Hotaru who said that. "This situation will surely get increasingly dangerous, and I don't want to get Rogue-tachi involved."

"How very kind of you to think that way, Hime-chan," Michiru said, "Ie, Small Lady, we better wait until we find out more on our own. Now, why don't you two go get ready for dinner?" The children left for the bathroom and the grown-ups kept talking. "Off the record, I'm glad to have found out there is no relation between mutants and youma, the Aqua Mirror showed me so."

"Hai," Haruka agreed, "and we do make a good fighting team, but we don't know about their intentions yet, so we shouldn't reveal ourselves entirely. Now that I mention it, Setsuna-san, what did you find out at the school."

"It was an eye opening encounter," the ruby-eyed woman answered. She told them about the interview with Charles Xavier, the way he acted and the conclusions she came to. She even mentioned the professor's offer. "Out of courteousness, I told him that we would consider it, but of course, we know that being a senshi won't allow her to enter."

"And even if she wasn't," the violinist said, "I would never leave my child at some school on the other side of the ocean." She then noticed that Setsuna had become a bit glum. "What's wrong, Setsuna-san?"

"Have you two noticed anything different about Hime-chan lately?"

"Come to think of it," Haruka answered, "she does seem more cheerful, more outgoing."

"And it's because of Rogue-chan and the others," Michiru guessed, "When I talked with Jean-san and Ororo-san the other day, I learned how they are all outcasts, in one way or another. Hime-chan feels a connection with the mutant children because they've all been through the painful experience of rejection."

"But it's not meant to last," Setsuna said soberly. She leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. Just as she'd said before, Hotaru could not stay because of her duties as a senshi. Still, her conscience bothered her, the pale girl was so young and had gone through so much, she deserved some sort of compensation. She gave a start when she felt Haruka's hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, we've still got a few more days until we go back to Japan," the sand-blonde said with a wink, "Hime-chan can still go to the school as often as she wants to." The emerald-haired woman took her friend's hand and smiled warmly. "Now come on, we better start getting ready too."

"Aaah," Chibi-Usa took a deep, relaxing breath as she entered the tub, "Can you believe the people in this country would spend so much money to have a luxurious furo, and then use it only once a day?" The ruby-eyed girl turned to her friend. "Say, Hotaru-chan, don't you feel a little guilty about lying to Rogue-tachi?"

"Nani?" the violet-haired girl responded as she turned around in the tub, "What do you mean by lying?"

"Well, I know that we have to make up an excuse for your healing power, but it doesn't feel right, making them believe it's a mutation like theirs."

"Frankly, Chibi-Usa-chan, I'm not sure whether it's a lie or not. My power could very well be a mutation."

"Nani? You know it comes from the power of your crystal."

"That's what I thought, but consider the following." Hotaru sat up and counted on her fingers, "My power first appeared when I was nearing twelve, and none of the other senshi can manifest their power under normal guise."

"What about Rei-chan?"

"Her ability didn't appear suddenly, it grew little by little, anyone can strengthen ESP with the right training, it is merely a lost art."

"Good point," Chibi-Usa replied, "Are you sure about this, Hotaru-chan?"

"The more I think about it, the more certain I am." For a moment she recalled David's words, and trembled despite the water's warmth. The pink-haired girl noticed this.

"What's wrong, Hotaru-chan?"

"Would it make a difference, knowing what I am?"

"Nani, are you serious? Of course there's no difference! You're still Tomoe Hotaru, you become Sailor Saturn, and most importantly, you're my friend. There's no reason for anything to change." The pale girl stared in amazement then gave a grateful grin.

"Domo arigato, Chibi-Usa-chan."

"Hey! Are you two done yet?" Michiru called as she knocked on the door, "You're not the only ones who need to use the furo."

"We'll be right out. Hotaru-chan, how about going somewhere else with Rogue-tachi tomorrow? I have to thank David-kun for helping me back at the park."

"Hai, let's do that."

*****

Xavier's school:

Henry McCoy headed immediately for the professor's office to tell him about the incident at the park, while the kids went over to tell Giselle.

"Wow!" the scaly girl exclaimed, "Everyone was after you?"

"And hitting us with anything they could get their hands on. I tell you, Remy never thought his lessons would be useful someday."

"The one who stole the show was David," Bobby said, "Tackling that guy away from Chibi-Usa was a great move."

"Seriously?" Giselle stared at her boyfriend, who was sitting next to her, "You saved Chibi-Usa?"

"It was just a reflex, my opinion about her hasn't changed. I still say the likes of her have nothing to do with us." The reptilian girl kissed him on the cheek and giggled teasingly.

"You don't fool me, my Davey's a sweet little angel." The dark-haired teen just grumbled while everyone else had fun at his expense. Kathy then snapped her fingers to get her friends' attention and mimicked the contour of a cloud.

"Right, the thing that came out of that guy," Bobby guessed, "What do you guys think it was?"

"Maybe it was a mutant," David said, "One that turns into gas, goes into your body, and controls all your movements."

"Getting inside physically?" the fair-haired boy asked, "Dave, that's just plain gross. Also, everyone was acting as thought they were possessed."

"Telepathy perhaps," Giselle deduced, "But that would require a tremendous amount of power."

"Rogue, _cherie, what went through your mind when that guy touched you?"_

"It was weird. The memories I get are never clear, but this time they were really jumbled."

"But you were able to see who they were after," Bobby pointed out.

"Actually, I saw a figure that only looked like Chibi-usa," the pale girl cleared out, "she had a similar hairstyle, but was much taller. There was something about a queen, a crystal and…" she shook her head in frustration, "Some sort of…metal? Ugh, it's no use! I'm losing it already." She tapped her temple, "Come on, come on, there's something else in there… Saturn! I saw people dressed like Sailor Saturn!"

"Now that's useful information!" David exclaimed as he sat up, "You better go tell the grown-ups; the problem's in their hands, we'd just get in the way."

"Perhaps _mes ami, but if our new young friend is involved, then so are we," the bayou dweller declared, "And __cherie don't forget about that crystal, it's a very important clue."_

"What makes you say that?" Giselle asked.

"Remy has a hunch."

*****

Jack Stevens' new H.Q.:

John Doe had been useful in entering Steven's organization, but only once. Now he, or rather his guise, had been disposed of. The mutant polymorph known as Mystique was posing as an elderly secretary. As she took files and packages here and there, she memorized names, routines, and habits, not to mention escape routes for when the time came to get her original job done. She glimpsed around a corner and saw Stevens coming down the aisle with Rogers, Michael was trailing behind. Keeping a safe distance, she eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Two mutant related incidents, Jim. Are you still not convinced?"

"Yes, Jack, I am convinced, but for your safety, don't push it," the older man grumbled. His agents had been caught after that fight at Central Park, and thus, was in a very foul mood. "I've already placed people inside the major news channels and papers, we should get little trouble from the media. It'll take time to place units at strategic spots while maintaining secrecy, but we'll be able to respond immediately when thew next attack occurs."

"I'd rather strike first," the mousy-haired man said in an eerie tone, "Hunt down those animals and exterminate every single one of them."

Mystique clenched her fist tightly until it nearly bled. _To hell with caution, she thought, she wanted to charge and kick that creeps head off. Michael spoke at that very moment._

"Umm, sir? It looks as though we have a situation here."

"What the devil is going on!?" Stevens shouted. There was a bit of a scuffle in the room they had entered, and push had come way beyond shove.

"It's Lou here who's being an ass!" somebody said.

"Me? You started it!" the other one retorted as he gave another shove.

"BEHAVE YOURSELVES!!" Rogers hollered, the military authority in his voice was felt and everyone froze right on the spot. "All of you form a unit, insubordinate behavior makes the unit fall. It shall not be tolerated!"

"Y-yes sir, it won't happen again," one of the troublemakers stuttered. Everyone hurried back to their business, and soon, it was as if nothing had happened. Only Michael had remained impassive during the whole scene.

"Shouldn't you get back to work as well?" the indigo-haired majordomo scolded Mystique.

"Umm, yes, I'll, I'll get right on it." Quickly, she left her errand at some desk and rushed into a restroom. Once inside, she locked the door, made sure there was no one there and finally gasped. He hair turned from gray to bright red, her slightly plump figure became slender, clothes dissolved away and her skin took a deep blue color. Rogers had scared her so much that she had nearly lost concentration; and there was something else. "What happened back there? I was ready to kill all those people." True, the death of all those intolerant bastards would've made the yellow-eyed woman very happy. But the one thing she kept through all her disguises was self-control, a moment ago she'd felt an enormous fury. "You don't lose control like that," she told herself, "get a grip." She took some more deep breaths before resuming her disguise. "The sooner I get this over with, the better, definitely."

*****

Atlantic Ocean:

His wounds were aggravating, he felt utterly exhausted, his body demanded rest, he just wanted to give up and plunge into the dark waters below; but a firmer resolve gave him strength and pushed him forward. He had to reach his friend, let him know about this beast he'd unwillingly set free, warn him before it was too late.


	7. Unity 7

**Unity**

**Chapter seven:**

Xavier's School, 2:00 a.m.

An alarm rang and Logan woke up with a start, he growled as he dragged his hand over his face.

"Great, first time in weeks I don't have nightmares and an intruder decides to show up." The black-haired man got out of bed and drew out his claws. "That bozo's in for a three-year comma."

Logan can be quite fast when properly motivated, and was closest to where the intruder had entered, so he was the first to arrive. Security systems had done their job, and the interloper was now shackled and hanging upside down.

"Well, well, look who we've got here," the black-haired said right before slashing away.

The rest of the X-Men arrived moments later.

"Logan!" Jean called out, "What's going on here?" Everyone came to a halt, quite surprised to see the shackles cleaved, and a pink-haired girl sitting on the floor rubbing her head.

"Ouch, ouchie, ow… (moan) I knew I should've called ahead."

"So what's the story?" the feral man demanded in an unfriendly tone, "It's late for little kids to be sneaking around."

"Che. First of all, my name's Sailor Chibi Moon; second, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important." She got up and spruced herself. "It's about these fights breaking out all over the city, I came here to ask for your help."

"I agree on that," Ororo pointed out, "We are in need of your experience as well. But why did you come here alone?"

"Well…" the future princess lowered her gaze, "My friends aren't that willing to cooperate; Uranus can be a bit stuck up, and Saturn, she's afraid of people getting hurt when they shouldn't even be involved. So, I came here on my own, they don't know I'm here."

"In other words, you alone took the first step towards an understanding." The whole group stepped aside, allowing Xavier to come forward. "A noble gesture. Still, it was foolish of you to come alone, you should have let your elders know about your plan and whereabouts."

"Hai, you're right, Xavier-sama," Chibi Moon replied with embarrassment, "But, you will help us, ne?"

"First, you should convince the other sailors about this alliance, not through trickery mind you," the professor answered, "In the meantime, we'll gather as much information as possible, then pool our resources when we come together."

"Hai, I'll do that, Xavier-sama. Domo arigato." The pink-haired senshi snapped her fingers, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" She took something that looked like a calculator out of her subspace pocket and handed it over. "This is one of our communicators, an older model, but functional. I thought we could use it in case of an emergency."

"I believe it should be useful," Henry commented as he took it. _Not to mention worth analyzing_.

"If you like, I can accompany you on your way back," Ororo offered, "You shouldn't be out on your own at night in New York."

"Arigato, but there's no need to, I travel by teleportation, besides, I have a secret identity to keep." Chibi Moon rubbed her head, "However, I'll need someone to show me to the door, I don't want to trigger any more alarms."

"No, you don't," the ebon-skinned girl giggled, "come along." The pair left and Logan stretched.

"I'm going back to bed. Damn, couldn't that kid pick a more sensible hour?"

"She's a child Logan," his blue-furred friend reminded, "little planning and mostly action."

They each went back to their respective rooms, Charles however had a bit of a word with Scott.

"Well, I may have founded the school, but you're the one who leads the team. Tell me, Scott, do you agree to this alliance?"

"Hmm, it's not a simple choice, Professor," the shorthaired man answered, "It is a good strategy to exchange our respective know-how. On the other hand, all of this seems too hasty."

"Right you are," Xavier replied, "but I truly believe we can trust the sailors. I'm ashamed to admit it, but as a precaution, I mentally scanned Chibi Moon, and I could see that her intentions are earnest." The older man linked his hands and paused, "I'll confide this to you alone, Scott, I also felt a great amount of power emanating from her, passive but quite strong."

"That's interesting." Scott rubbed his chin, "Do you think it's the life-energy the sailors mentioned?"

"Could be, but now isn't the time to ponder. Let us rest and get back to it tomorrow. Goodnight, Scott."

"Goodnight, Professor."

*****

The Hotel:

Sailor Chibi Moon crept quietly through the window and into her bed, she reverted and got ready to sleep.

"How'd it go?"

"Nani!?" Hotaru sat up and turned on the lamp.

"I woke up a while ago and noticed you were gone, it was easy to figure out where you went. Don't worry, Setsuna-mama and the others are still asleep." The amethyst-eyed girl frowned, "But you scared me, Chibi-Usa, a lot."

"Gomen, Hotaru-chan, but I really had to do this."

"I know, someone had to extend the open hand, and who better to do it than a princess. So, any luck?"

"A lot, Xavier-sama is a very good listener and knows how to make a point." The odango-headed girl related her small enterprise in a few words, wrapping it up with a yawn. "Let's get some sleep, we're going to see Rogue-tachi again tomorrow."

"Hai, otherwise we'll be tired all day," the pale girl giggled, "Sweet dreams, Chibi-Usa-chan."

"You too, Hotaru-chan."

*****

Jack Stevens' H.Q., the following day:

The disguised Mystique stepped into Steven's office.

"Sir, here's some correspondence for you to-What's going on here?" The mousy-haired man was leaning on the desk looking awfully tired. Michael was at his side, ready to provide aid if needed.

"Mr. Stevens is merely feeling lightheaded," the majordomo deadpanned, "leave your errand and go back to your business."

"Uh, sure." Mystique left the papers and hurried out the door. "He looks bad," she muttered, "if his condition worsens, I won't have anything to do." The indigo-haired man waited a while before talking to his employer.

"Are you feeling any better, Sir?"

"Yes, I just felt faint all of a sudden. I guess I've been trying to do too many things at once." He took one more deep breath and stood up straight. "Is my speech ready?"

"Yes Sir, and your car is waiting right outside. You might want to know, I found out Mr. Rogers is making good progress setting his 'units' throughout the city." Steven's nodded in approval as the pair headed for the exit, the bigot wobbled a bit as he stepped through the front door. "Are you all right, Sir?"

"I'll be fine, I just haven't been quite myself lately. Pretty crazy, huh?"

"Those labeled as insane are often geniuses," Michael reminded in his neutral tone, "Humanity will praise you once you eliminate this mutant aberration."

"Right you are, my friend, quite right."

*****

Morlock colony:

"You stole a TV!?" Jenny asked in surprise and disapproval.

"Yup," her brother responded while fiddling around with the cables, "It was Rob's idea, he said: 'get a set, some tools and have that thing ready before lunch'."

"And you didn't ask why?" the orange-skinned girl huffed, "You shouldn't follow his orders blindly, big brother, unlike him."

"Don't you start, Jennifer," Cloud scolded, "Rob has been in a very foul mood lately. We don't need any of your cockamamie stories."

"Don't worry, I'll be quiet." But she was worried, that presence had vanished somehow, however, she knew it was merely hiding, only to arise when least expected, stronger than before. The magma-skinned mutant chose that moment to make an entrance.

"Haven't you turned that thing on already? I've got better things for you to do than wasting your time here."

"Hey, it ain't that easy," the gray-skinned one retorted, "You don't just cut the wires and stick in the plug, this is complicated stuff. Besides, what do you need this for?"

"Information, it doesn't do our cause any good if we strike while having no idea about the consequences. We need to see the newscasts, keep up with current events, learn about the public's opinion. I need to know if humans are either fearing or ignoring us."

"If you want to know if you're scaring people, all you have to do is look around," Jenny suggested. She left before her brother could scold her. The morlock leader grumbled.

"How much longer?"

"I'm done," Cloud answered, "don't expect a crystal clear reception down here though." He turned the television on and clicked through the channels. "This one seems to be about the fight Gus was involved in yesterday, but there's no sound."

"Yes, Gus, I wonder what really happened back there. His story didn't convince me at all, it's not that easy to give the X-Men the slip."

"No pun intended I presume." They kept on watching bits of news here and there until they found the station with the clearest reception possible. "Hey, this is a live transmission. It's another speech from that clown, Jack something."

"Stevens… Let's listen, it might be interesting."

*****

At some auditorium he rented, Stevens was giving a speech based on the morlocks' vandalizing. The mousy-haired man was filled with glee upon seeing maximum attendance.

"What is fear? Is it uncertainty? No, we know what causes our terror, we know that it's out there, ready to destroy us. Four mutant related incidents occurred yesterday, and why? Because those in charge, those who say they'll 'protect' us, do nothing. 'Be tolerant' they say, 'turn the other cheek' they quote. Let me tell you, you do not give in when you know you're being killed." Shouts of agreement were heard all over. "If humankind is to survive, we must be wary, keep our eyes open for the threat. Search your neighborhood, the corner store, they could be anywhere. That guitar-playing man in the subway says to give peace a chance, that violence solves nothing. A kind soul, wouldn't you say? Or perhaps, he has someone, or something to hide." Now there was a wave of murmurs. "Suspect everyone and trust none, for these freaks are animals and animals prey on the weak. Keep an eye open for any sign, that fat kid your child plays with, doesn't he seem a little big for his age?"

*****

"…_for his age? Or what about that girl at the cashier? Is she_…"

Robert and Cloud watched as Stevens continued his intolerant ranting.

"Is it legal to say that stuff on TV?" the gray-skinned man asked, "He's gonna cause paranoia with that kind of talk."

"Indeed," Rob replied.

"Uh, is it my imagination, or did you just smile?"

"I did smile, don't you see? That stupid human is acting precisely the way we hoped, he's panicking. Soon, the surface dwellers will be too afraid to do anything. Even opening the door to pick up the paper will be an ordeal."

"And that's when we attack?" the shape-shifter asked.

"No, we keep up what we've been doing until now, a little trouble here and there, just to keep them on their toes. The big one will come much later." Cloud raised an eyebrow, his magma-skinned friend seemed a lot more in control now in comparison to yesterday. Jack Stevens was still talking.

"You know Rob, many of our kind will get hurt thanks to this guy."

"You know casualties are inevitable, Cloud. But, I will do my best so that no morlock gets hurt."

"Er, I didn't mean us, I was talking about the mutants living up above."

"They're not our kind."

"What?"

"They're not our kind," the morlock leader repeated, "They don't know about the privations we suffer. They think they're better than us, acting so boldly, thinking they can coexist. They're just lucky they don't have any malformations." He stepped up to the TV and put a hand on it, "They are the enemy, by their choice. Be wise and leave them on their own." He looked at the screen, "Make no mistake about it, Cloud…"

"…_We are at war!_"

*****

Xavier's School:

"You're definitely improving, Remy," Henry praised, "Keep it up and you'll breeze through next week's test."

"Merci, Dr. McCoy," the brown-haired boy replied. He glanced towards the window, "Hey, Remy has never noticed that telescope before."

"Just took it out of the closet, gonna do a little stargazing tonight. The stars I'm looking for in particular can only be seen this time of year."

"Think you might discover something?"

"Perhaps, but I do this as a hobby, medicine is my profession."

"But it would be cool to have a McCoy comet though. Mind if Remy takes a look?"

"Not at all," the doctor answered as he came by the window, "I aimed it towards that tree, you can see a nest which is used by a family of robins every year."

"I see them, and it looks like they're busy. Huh…"

"What is it?"

 "I saw a weird dot," Remy said as he adjusted the sight, "It's not a bird nor a plane. What do you think it is?" Henry checked it out.

"It's a person." His eyes went wide, "And not just anyone! Get back to your room, tell everyone on your way to do the same!" the blue-furred man ordered as he hurried out.

"Why? What is it?" the bayou dweller asked without getting a response, "Well, whenever the faculty acts like that you know it's trouble."

Moments later, Henry was rushing outside along with Logan, Ororo and Scott, who was already setting the electronic zoom-in his visors came equipped with.

"It's Magneto alright, but what's he trying to pull off?"

"It can't be an attack," the feral man said, "it's too out of the blue, and he's always been the scheming type. Wait, he's picking up speed.

"That because he's not flying towards us," Ororo noticed as she dropped her binoculars, "He's falling!" The ebon-skinned girl took off without thinking. Magneto was a great distance away so she strained herself to reach top speed immediately. He was still heading slightly in the school's direction, so he was still partially conscious. "With a little luck, I might be able to catch him," the white-haired girl told herself as she used a wind gust to increase her speed. Eric Magnus was her enemy, but letting him fall meant forsaking the teachings of Charles Xavier. "Come on, come on, just a little more!" The old man was just a few inches away from her grasp, and a few yards from the ground as well. Ororo stretched out further and caught Magneto's hand, but the momentum was too much. She waited for the last second and created an air cushion, using it and her own body to break his fall. When the other mutants arrived, Magneto was clutching desperately to her blouse and whispering into her ear, then he groaned and fainted.

"What did he say?" Scott asked.

"He could only mumble a few words. He wants to see the professor, something about a demon." The white-haired girl grimaced at his bloodstained bandages. "We better get him to the infirmary, fast. I just hope later on he's willing to cooperate and give us answers."

When Setsuna, Hotaru and Chibi-Usa arrived later in the day, the place was hectic.

"What's all the fuss about?" the odango-headed girl wondered.

"We, umm, we received some unexpected company," Jean, who had let them in, responded, "Henry's attending him at the infirmary. The kids don't know who it is, but his arrival has become quite the subject."

"How come?" the amethyst-eyed girl inquired. The redhead decided to give them part of the information, how Ororo had performed the rescue.

"Hime-chan, Chibi-Usa, you two go see Rogue-tachi. Jean-san, could you take me to McCoy-san, I think I may be of some aid."

"Thanks for the offer, Setsuna, but Henry's capable of-Huh?" The telekinetic had a little start. "_If you say so, Professor. On second thought, he'll appreciate the help. I'll guide you."_

"Konnichiwa, minna-san," the future princess greeted when they entered the bedroom, "You've all heard of Ororo-san's stunt, I presume."

"We sure have," Giselle replied, "But you mustn't count Remy out, he's the one who saw the falling stranger in the first place."

"Good work, Remy-san," Hotaru praised.

"It was nothing really, all Remy saw was a weird speck which made me curious." The brown-haired boy laid down on the bed. "I saw everything through Dr. McCoy's telescope, but couldn't make out any features. Remy wonders why the grownups are being so secretive, they won't give us a hint."

"We could ask Bobby or Rogue," David suggested.

"Huh? Why us?" the ice-wielder asked.

"Don't play dumb, you two have been exchanging glances since this mess started. You know something and you're gonna share it with the rest of us." Kathy nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Don't pester us Dave," the streaked girl warned, "the X-Men warned us about this situation, we were told to keep the secret no matter what."

"Aww, come on," Giselle said, "We know how to keep a secret, at least when it's truly necessary. You can tell us."

"We said no, you lizard, so stop insisting," Bobby growled.

"It'll be better if you give in," Chibi-Usa suggested, "My cousin, Usagi, and her friends can be very stubborn when they're determined to find out about something, and I can tell these guys are no different. Now, I'm not trying to get you into talking," she cleared out, "even if I am just as curious." Bobby and Rogue looked at the rest of the group, then at each other.

"You swear you'll keep your mouths shut?" Kathy drew a cross over her chest, giving everyone a welcome laugh. "Very well."

"His name is Eric Magnus," the blue-furred man told Setsuna as they changed the bandages, "Most of us know him as Magneto though, our worst enemy."

"Nani? Describe worst enemy."

"Magneto is a separatist, convinced that humans and mutants will never coexist. He calls us _Homo superior_, claiming that we are to replace _Homo sapiens as a species."_

"If your evolution theory is correct, that substitution will occur gradually," the ruby-eyed woman observed.

"Indeed, but he seeks to speed up the process as much as possible. His methods are often cruel, and he's not above sacrificing innocent lives in the name of his cause."

"That's barbaric!" she gasped. Her conscience chose that moment to sting her deeply. _Gomen ne, Hime-chan. "Tell me, if he's that bad a person, why are we helping him?"_

"Abandoning him won't make me any better; and he happens to be Charles' best friend as well. They worked together for some time, to further the mutant cause, before becoming such a radical. Charles maintains his faith in him, hoping that he will find peace within himself." Setsuna smiled warmly at how those words reminded her of her Moon princess. Henry covered the white-haired man with a blanket and the pair went outside. "And despite the fact I've been endangered by him several times, I can't find it within myself to feel anger towards this man. You see, Magneto's childhood was spent several years at a German concentration camp."

"Say no more, those two words explain everything." The emerald-haired woman sighed sadly. "Of all the atrocities I've witnessed through history, those places were definitely the worst. Not just Germany, Japan had them too, there they kept British and American prisoners, with inhuman treatment and conditions."

"The United States were no better during the war. Here, in the land of the free, hundreds of Japanese citizens were imprisoned." The mutant doctor shook his head, "Their only crime was belonging to a race; most of them had been born here, having nothing to do with the government established miles away."

"It's not fair… Ie, it's idiotic to believe that all people from one country are of the same mind." She looked back, "How can Magneto have any hope left, or envision an understanding between us, when he's seen man's inhumanity towards one another?"

"Using that which I mentioned before, Miss Meioh, faith."

*****

The Bronx:

Logan wasn't too thrilled with the idea of Magneto staying at the school. If it wasn't for that weird situation in their hands, he would've packed up and taken a holiday in Alaska. But his help was needed, so all he could do was go to some run down old dump, maybe have a few drink at a cheap bar, and if luck was with him, have a fistfight or two. He parked his jeep and caught a glimpse of two kids spraying graffiti on a wall, none of his business, but then the wind shifted.

"That's not spray paint they're using."

"You know," one kid said to the painter, "most people are afraid of getting near mutants because they might either be attacked or catch some freaky disease. Me, I'm just afraid about my reputation, 'cause frankly, having paint come out of your fingers is lame."

"Don't interrupt my artistic vision with your stupid observations," the painter protested, "There, I still can't hack the colors, but you can't deny my awesome talent."

"I guess it was a lucky coincidence that you had this hobby in the first place."

"Don't know much about art, but this is nice." The kids turned and saw a black-haired man approaching. He took the painter's hand and checked it out. "Huh, no wonder I didn't smell any chemicals."

"What are you, some earth nut?" the painter's friend asked annoyed.

"Nah, just someone who's curious, I wasn't even gonna head this way. But since I'm already here, I might as well give you some good advice," he drew out the claw between his index and middle fingers and shook it at them, "stay out of trouble."

"Y-yes sir!" The feral man chuckled as the kids stumbled away, his eyes widened suddenly and he started sniffing around.

"What the devil is that?"

At a hiding place nearby, three men and a woman were standing besides something hidden under green canvas, a very large something. She was busy with her laptop while the others loitered.

"Hey Lucy, how's about bringing that box o' donuts a little closer."

"Get off your larded ass and get it yourself!" she growled, "At least burn one calorie. (Grumble) I was one signature away from a promotion and Monterey bay, but no, Rogers had to put me with you three cretins."

"Putting up with a grouchy bitch like you ain't no walk in the park," another man retorted, "Plus, we've got nothing to do, you have that gizmo to play games with."

"Games!? Is that what you think I'm doing?" the woman knocked angrily on the display. "I happen to be programming these things, uploading vital data. These machines cost a fortune and are equal to a troop with heavy artillery. You think Rogers would appreciate it if one of them got lost or out of control?"

"Are you serious?" one man asked incredulously, "Does it say all that on the computer?" He tried to grab the laptop, but fumbled and let it drop.

"Imbecile!!" Lucy yelled, "If I see just one dent, I'm gonna-Oh no," Lucy tapped the buttons frantically, "no, no, no, no, SHIT!!"

"What is it?"

"They're going online!"

"What!?" There was a mechanical hum and the canvas started moving. "Stop them!"

"I'm trying! There's no response!" Her eyes widened in horror. "Everyone get the hell out of here, NOW!"

"What the devil is that?" A loud sound, like a giant explosion was heard, and the ground shook! Logan fell, and when he opened his eyes again, he became the first mutant to see the latest in weaponry to be used against them.

"_Mutant signatures detected. Proceed using deadly force_."


	8. Unity 8

**Unity**

**Chapter eight:**

The Bronx:

"Whoa!" Logan evaded a beam and drew out his claws. He was now facing three four-story tall robots. They were humanoid in shape, colored purple and blue. "I don't know what the hell you are, but I do now what you're about to become!" He zigzagged towards the machines while avoiding their lasers, and when he got to the feet of one, he slashed at the leg. Unfortunately, the black-haired man didn't do enough damage and was kicked away like a rag doll.

"_This mutant is to be classified as dangerous_," one of the robots mechanically stated, "_proceed to immediate termination_."

"Easier said than done!" Logan waited for them to fire before launching another attack. He jumped onto one's hand and hacked at the wrist, then he leapt towards the chest of another and made a quick stab before getting away from there with a well-placed kick. The third robot was about to grab him but received a different sort of assault.

"Deep submerge!" The watery orb impacted the giant machine, making it fall.

"Thanks for showing up," the feral mutant told the senshi as they landed next to him, "you've got great timing."

"Give your thanks to Neptune," Uranus replied, "she's the one who had to touch up her lipstick." She sized up their opponents. "Okay, so what are we up against?" the robots also paused.

"_New arrivals do not have mutant gene. Targeting protocol dictates: ignore_." The one that Neptune had blasted rose and appraised the damage done to it.

"_New arrivals threaten functionality of these units. Logic and preservation programs dictate: terminate_."

"I could've lived without hearing that last part," the ocean senshi deadpanned.

"Just remember, they're machines," Logan reminded, "So don't hold back!" Again he charged, this time towards the one Neptune had hit. He made a giant leap upwards, to the damaged area, and drove his claws deep inside. Then he pushed his hand upwards, cutting some important wiring, but finishing it would take a while. The second robot tried to grab the feral mutant but was hit on the head by both senshi. This attack made the machines realize that Uranus and Neptune had to be taken care of first.

"One more time!" the sand-blonde shouted, "Aim for the neck. World shaking!" A couple of more blasts and the purple robot was beheaded. The third one raised its hand and fired a wide laser.

"Submarine reflection!" Neptune managed to repel the beam, but the force of it blew her away, slamming her painfully against a wall. Her lover growled in anger and readied her weapon. The robot took one step then began lurching, it twisted and the wind senshi discovered the cause, Logan was using his claws to climb up its back. He got to the neck, roared and started slashing away. The giant robot's eyes flickered, then turned off completely. It tittered a bit, then fell like a tree, causing all the cars and debris to bounce.

"There," he said as he jumped to the ground, "that's over with. How's Neptune?"

"I'm okay," the aqua-haired senshi answered while Uranus picked her up, "Just a couple of bruises-Ouch!" Logan rushed over and checked her shoulder.

"Looks bad. Better have Hank look at this." He tried to pick up Neptune but the shorthaired senshi held him back.

"Matte, what do you think you're doing?"

"You remember Beast, ne? Well he happens to be a doctor, and that's just what your friend needs."

"Arigato, but we'll manage on our own."

"Let's go with him, Uranus."

"Nani?"

"I realize I'm forcing us to swallow our pride, but we **do** need the X-Men's help." The ocean senshi grunted. "Besides, my shoulder really does hurt."

"Fine," the sand-blonde huffed, "But I'm carrying you." Logan smirked then went ahead to call Henry and the professor. Neptune giggled as her beloved picked her up.

"I never knew how kawaii you look when you get jealous." Uranus just blushed and looked away. The Canadian was using his cellular when they got to the jeep.

"Hank, I'm bringing you a patient. And tell Chuck to gather everyone, no one will want to miss this."

A safe distance away, Lucy and her companions had witnessed the whole battle.

"Who were those two?" one of the men asked.

"I have no idea," another one said, "The sentinel said they're not mutants, but those powers. Do you think it's the suits?"

"Things that size? Get real, idiot. Such attacks require a lot of energy. Where would they keep a battery that big?"

"Well in your case, you could shove it up your-"

"Will you three shut up!" Lucy hollered, "Once Rogers hears about this we'll all be shipped to Death Valley." She took a few deep breaths to calm down. "I already called the clean-up crew, so we shouldn't worry about the media just yet. And we better start taking those girl scouts seriously, they're a lot more than meets the eye."

*****

Xavier's school:

"Let me get this straight, Puu," Chibi-Usa requested, "You have to leave so you can come back here?"

"Hai, leave as Setsuna then come back as Sailor Pluto, one of the complications that come with secret identities."

"Well I'm glad Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama decided to come," Hotaru said cheerfully, "Aiding each other, we'll find a solution to this confusing problem in no time."

"I'm double glad," her pink-haired friend added, "we get to spend the night with Rogue-tachi."

"It's only fair," the ruby-eyed woman said with a grin. "These visits have been too short, you two deserve a compensation." She gave each a kiss on the forehead. "Now, I want you to behave and do as you're told, all right?"

"Hai, sayonara, Setsuna-mama."

"See you tomorrow, Puu."

Remy was lying in bed looking at a picture Chibi-Usa had lent him.

"They look like a cheerful group, and Chibi-Usa does resemble her cousin greatly." He tilted his head, "You know, she also looks like this Mamoru guy."

"Hey, you're right," Bobby agreed, "It's almost as if they were her… Nah, that's stupid."

"Maybe Chibi-Usa visits Mamoru very often," Giselle guessed, "You know, if you spend a lot of time with someone you acquire certain features." The green-scaled girl closed her eyes and huffed. "Ha, ha, very funny. Now scoot back into place." Kathy grinned and patted her friend on the back, she then glimpsed towards the door and saw the Japanese girls enter.

"Puu gave us permission to stay," the odango-headed girl announced with glee, "Haruka-kun and Michiru-san found something useful for this project all three of them are working on, and they're going to be busy. So, here we are."

"Well, we'll do everything possible to make you feel welcome," the streaked brunette offered.

"Even if there's a convicted felon sleeping under the same roof," David added sarcastically. He got a snowball on his face for that.

"Dave, you agreed to keep quiet!" Bobby snapped, "You want to cause a panic?"

"Maybe, the results would be interesting," the black-haired boy chuckled, "But as students, we should know what the professor is doing, keeping a criminal and murderer hidden."

"Remy wouldn't talk so soon, _mon ami," the bayou dweller said quaintly, "you definitely show potential."_

"Bite your tongue, LeBeau!" the reptilian girl hissed, "Any one of us could've ended up the wrong way if it hadn't been for Professor Xavier. In fact," her yellow eyes narrowed, "rumor has it you were caught shoplifting when they brought you here. So try thinking a little before opening your mouth, bozo." The red-eyed boy didn't answer right away. Slowly, he got off the bed and headed for the door.

"Remy is well aware of the faults he's committed, there is no day he doesn't remind himself." Everyone just stared at him until he was out of sight. In this group, Remy had been here the longest, but he was also the least known. The swamp rat showed an outgoing demeanor, but as Dr McCoy would say, he talked a lot while saying very little.

"You should've used more tact, Giselle-san," Hotaru scolded mildly, "Words can be very painful, we all know this by experience." The brown-haired boy had given off an aura of hurt and guilt, which had affected the pale girl greatly.

"I know," the green-scaled one sighed, "Looks like we're all sticking our feet into our mouths today."

"We better change the subject, before we say something we really regret," Rogue suggested in a soft voice, her sight still lingered towards the door. "So, what's this project Setsuna and the others are working on? It must be very important if they have to interrupt their vacation."

"You don't know the half of it," the pink-haired princess responded.

*****

Morlock Colony:

One of Rob's recruits was an elderly woman with the ability to project her thoughts holographically. Right now, she was showing something very big, the fight between Logan and the senshi against the sentinels.

"I might be jumping to conclusions," Cloud said, "but I'm guessing the surface-dwellers are scared."

"Well they're scaring me," Gus confessed, "I don't want to have to face those giants."

"All in all, it's interesting news. You may go now, Francine." The magma-skinned leader turned to his subordinates. "Now we know those girl scouts are mutants. Why else would they be helping that clawed runt?"

"Uh, sure, but it also means they're our enemies." Gus scratched the back of his head and looked away as he said this.

"Right." Rob's visage became darker, "Good thing I already have something underway."

"What?" the gray-skinned mutant's eyes widened, "You put a new plan into action without telling me about it? How come?"

"Because you're not strong, or good enough for it," Rob responded as he walked away, "This new mission demands heavy artillery only."

"Heavy artillery?" the gooey one asked.

"Now that's scary."

*****

Xavier's school:

Henry was checking Neptune's shoulder, that part of her fuku had turned into transparent ribbons that were moved away so he could do his work.

"It looks worse than it actually is," the blue-furred doctor noted, "These outfits must offer a lot of protection."

"That they do," the ocean senshi replied. _They sure made Eudial wet her pants._

"Just like our own uniforms," Storm commented as she fastened her cape, "They're like kevlar, only stretchier and lighter, much easier to move in. When is your friend arriving, anyway?" Right on cue, Sailor Pluto appeared. "Great entrance!"

"Arigato." The time senshi counted heads and saw that everyone was present. She got in front of the professor and bowed. "Konnichiwa, Xavier-sama, I'm honored to finally meet you."

"Likewise, Sailor Pluto. Did Sailor Chibi-Moon tell you about our conversation last night?"

"Eto… Hai, she mentioned this partnership plan." She was going to have a serious talk with that child the next day.

"Well, now that we're all here," Uranus said as she sat next to Neptune, "let's get to work. Has anyone found out anything about these fights?"

"Not much," Jean answered, "just that they occur every now and then, there's no apparent pattern, and everyone involved ends up exhausted."

"The part I don't understand is why this person is after both humans and mutants," Cyclops said, "What's to gain with us killing each other?"

"I have a theory," the wavy-haired senshi commented, "As I said before, this enemy is probably after life energy, and it increases when a person involved in a battle or other such activity. Affecting both mutants and humans is simply strategy in numbers." She bit her fingernail. "But you do raise a point, Scott-kun, these fights are much too violent for a simple harvest."

"And becoming deadly," Wolverine added, "Imagine if a whole troop of those robots is sent hunting."

"I don't think I want to," the aqua-haired senshi replied, "(sigh) But we're still getting nowhere. We've only been reacting, we have to make a move of our own. The problem is, we don't know when or where to go."

"There might be a way," the telepath announced. He moved his wheelchair and turned on a monitor. "Aside from using Cerebro, I've been following Jack Stevens' activities. In addition to his questionable speech a few hours ago, he is about to hold one of his biggest rallies yet, a tempting target for the more radical groups."

"I commend you for your hindsight, Xavier-sama," the ruby-eyed senshi praised, "With luck, we'll finally be able to progress." She turned to her adopted sisters, "Neptune, Uranus, what do you say?"

"I say, let's get going already," the wind senshi answered as she got to her feet. Everyone nodded and headed for the Blackbird.

*****

Manhattan:

Stevens and a few of his followers were at the top floor of a building, waiting for the rally to start; Mystique was there as well. One of them was looking out the window.

"Just look at the size of that crowd!" she exclaimed, "Jack won't be ignored after this."

"His popularity will surely increase," another one added as he came up to her, "he might even be able to run for mayor on the next elections."

"With 99% of the votes no doubt," someone else added. Suddenly, he saw something that made his eyes go wide as saucers. "What the hell is that!?" Everyone rushed to the windows and gasped.

"Go get Jack," a woman ordered the female polymorph without giving her a chance to see what all the fuss was about.

"Right away," Mystique answered. She turned away and chuckled quietly. _This is perfect_, she thought as she took a gun from a desk. _Everyone's over here and Stevens' alone in his office. I just go in, shoot him in the head and change forms in the hallway, it couldn't be simpler. She cocked the gun and kicked the door open. "Goodbye, Mr.-Oh my god."_

Robert was also informed about Stevens' project, and that's where he sent all those super-powered morlocks. They arrived and right away, that unknown force started affecting both them and the anti-mutant supporters. The violent outcome was immediate and numerous. That's what had drawn the attention of the people up above, and what the X-Men and senshi found when they arrived.

"Ara, it's a complete free-for-all!" Uranus exclaimed, "How are we going to stop a mob that size?"

"The hard way," Cyclops quipped as he set his visor to stun, "We knock them down one by one; Storm, use mist to hold back as many as you can. And remember, keep your eyes peeled for whatever's draining them."

Mystique, forced to take her original shape because of a wounded leg, dodged another shot and fired her sixth and last bullet.

"Why the hell did I have to grab a revolver?" the blue-skinned woman whined. She made it out of the building and was tackled by one of her chasers, he was choking her when a possessed morlock showed up and tossed him away. Mystique raised her head and finally noticed the madness all around, she was so impressed that, for a second, forgot she was supposed to be escaping. She ran into an alley with five people behind her, she stumbled a bit and was pulled through a door. "Who-?" A hand was put on her mouth.

"Be quiet." They waited a while and the persecutors passed by. "That was close," the mustached man said, "You're sure lucky I like girls like you."

"Yeah, lucky," the yellow-eyed woman panted. She took a few deep breaths then peered out the door. "Thanks, but I gotta get going. See ya."

"You should stay," the man insisted as he held her back by the shoulders, "you'll have a better chance of living." The red-haired woman's temper rose.

"I said I'm leaving!" She tried to hit his neck with a chop, but the man was also a martial artist. He grabbed her arm, spun and slammed her against the wall; she tried to kick but forgot about her wounded leg, this allowed him to throw and pin her to the floor.

"I don't think you understood what I said earlier." The mustached man sneered as he leered at her dark blue body. "I meant, I really like girls like you." Mystique sweat-dropped.

"Give me a fucking break." Growling, she kneed him hard on the groin.

"Oomph! Little bitch, I oughta-Urk!" The man was knocked away and blue-skinned mutant saw who her third helper was, a woman with long emerald hair in a schoolgirl uniform.

"You okay?" Pluto asked.

"Uh-huh." She sneered at the fallen man and kicked him in the stomach. The time senshi was about to advise her to stay put when they heard a frightening roar coming from outside, they both ran to the window and witnessed a frightening scene.

The X-Men had been fighting quite well alongside the senshi, a lot people were down, which Jean carried away, but a greater number remained. Then, just as the heroes had expected, everyone affected by the trance started to drop from exhaustion.

"Neptune!" the redhead telekinetic called, "Does your mirror show anything?"

"Hai, the energy's gathering at three different spots."

"Three!?" Wolverine shouted, "I thought we-" he sniffed, "There's that scent again. Get ready everyone!" Three screams were heard.

A few days ago they had faced just one, now they were facing a trio of dark-skinned giants. Wolverine, Uranus and Storm charged furiously, forcing them away from the fallen mob.

"Great. Can you get Chibi-Moon here on time?" Beast asked.

"Hai," the ocean senshi answered, "but she won't be able to change three monsters at once, even if we weaken them."

"I might be able to help out in that part," Jean said, "I told the professor about our other battle. We figured out that finding and isolating the victim's mind from the possessor's would have the same effect." She scratched her head. "It's complicated, but it just might work."

"Good," Neptune said with a wide grin, "Take care of those things while I fetch Small Lady." She vanished. "KYAA!" She reappeared in an instant, with great pain running through her body.

"Neptune!" Pluto rushed to her friend, "What happened to you?"

"I don't know, something didn't allow me to teleport." The red-eyed leader of the X-Men hummed and looked up, he fired a beam and it impacted in midair.

"We're inside a force-field," he cursed, "whoever's pulling the strings has trapped us."

"Then I'll heal the three of them by myself," Jean claimed.

"You can't, not with your skill level," Beast warned.

"There's no choice." The redhead took a deep breath and began concentrating. "Just make sure they're weakened enough."

The ebony-skinned girl directed a blizzard to block a purple flame, breathed by one of the giants.

"Just what we needed, they were given new abilities," she complained.

"No, only one of them was," Wolverine corrected, "The other two just have muscle."

"That's because two of them are transformed humans, the third is a mutant," Uranus deduced.

"Really?" the feral man paused and analyzed their opponents' behavior. He chuckled when a plan came to mind. First he taunted the fire breathing one, then drew the flames towards the two regular ones. They growled in anger and started fighting each other. "Perfect! Get a predictable enough enemy and you'll play him like a drum."

"That'll give us some time," the short-haired senshi said, "probably enough to-Matte!" The two regular giants became feeble and fell; the good news, they became human again, the bad news, all their strength had been transferred to the mutated one. It threw an exploding fireball at the heroes before they could react, blasting them away.

"Logan, Ororo!" Beast and the rest ran over to help, but were repelled by the purple fire. The monster took a deep breath and threw a more powerful, and fatal, attack.

"Silence wall!"

"Moon gorgeous meditation!"

As the magical shield blocked the attack, while the dark-skinned monster shrunk and went back to normal. The two youngest senshi landed, but the future princess stumbled and fell.

"Small Lady!" The time senshi rushed to the little one's side. "How did you get here?"

"Oh, you know, I just followed one of those hunches we get from time to time."

"Thanks a lot," Cyclops said, "But how did you break through the force-field?"

"Force-field?" Saturn blinked, "We didn't find any obstacle when we arrived." The blue-furred man scratched his chin.

"Must've been taken down to further empower the giant," Beast guessed, "This shows our enemy falls into desperation easily, and we could use that." He knelt next to Chibi-Moon. "Right now, however, we have to take care of you, that maneuver was too exhausting."

"Hai," the pink-haired answered, "but it's not so bad, I should be okay by tomorrow." She was hardly able to keep her eyes open though.

"I'll take the princess where she can rest," the amethyst-eyed senshi offered, "We'll come back to you later on."

"Why not come with us now?" the white-haired girl asked, "It would help if your team was complete."

"Umm, hai, Storm. It's just that the princess and I have an assignment pending." She helped her friend get up. "Ja ne, minna-san."

"Good luck with this," Chibi-Moon wished as they teleported.

"We need a lot of luck," Uranus huffed, "We came for info and all I have is an aching back."

"Oh, I don't know," Wolverine replied, "there might be something else here." The masked man ran into a darkened alley and a second later, a woman's screams were heard.

"Logan-san, what are you doing?" the longhaired senshi protested as he brought his captive into view. "She was nearly abused by some hentai a moment ago." Noticing the questioning gazes, Pluto told them what had happened.

"This speaks well of you, Pluto," Scott praised, "However, I'm afraid you saved one of the bad guys."

"Okay, so I ain't Mother Theresa," the yellow-eyed woman retorted with snide, "Now let go!"

"Not until you tell us what you know about this," the feral man threatened.

"Logan, let go," Jean ordered, "she's been frightened enough already." Wolverine snorted and released the woman, but she wasn't allowed to leave just yet. "Your presence here can't be just coincidence, Mystique, if you do know something, you have to tell us."

"All I know, is that tonight has been going from bad to worse since that monster scared me half to death." She snorted angrily, "Weeks worth of planning and a huge paycheck down the drain."

"Matte," Neptune held out her hand, "What sort of monster did you see?"

"You're expecting me to help you?" The red-haired woman laughed insolently. "Fat chance, sister. If you've got trouble, solve it on your own. I already have my hands full."

"_Go with them, Mystique_."

"Huh?" The voice inside her head froze her. "Magneto? How?"

"_A little assistance from Charles. Go along with the X-Men and Sailor Senshi, this crisis requires all the help we can get_."

*****

Jack Stevens' H.Q.:

That night, Rogers was checking out some reports; among them, the one involving the incident with the sentinels gone haywire. This near disaster had actually turned out to be useful, it had tested the robots' efficiency in actual combat. Lucy and the others were still reprimanded, though. A very upset Stevens came through the door at that moment.

"I've already heard, Jack. Sorry the whole thing turned into a fiasco."

"Saying 'sorry' won't fix anything, this mess is going to set my plans way back." The mousy-haired man dropped on an armchair. "Although, something good will come out of this. Once this gets to the news channels, the attacks on mutants will increase tremendously."

"Thank heavens for tabloid journalism."

"Right, and all for the sake of our cause. My own goal is still distant, but the purification of humanity gets closer and closer." His grin vanished as he made a fist. "What really angers me is how one of those things got inside."

"That would be my fault, for not getting the detectors here on time. But soon you will have nothing to worry about, just let them try and pull that stunt on you again." There was a knock on the door and Michael came in.

"Sir, I conducted a search using that description you gave, and came up with some interesting results." The indigo-haired majordomo took some papers out of his folder. "Miss Raven Darkholme, a.k.a. Mystique, a shape-shifter. Her usual method is to eliminate a person then take his or her place by assuming the identity. She has successfully infiltrated many top-secret government facilities. Most importantly, she is a known ally to the mutant terrorist known as Magneto."

"I've heard of this woman," the elderly man said, "Bounty hunters are offered a six-figure reward for her capture." Rogers turned to his former disciple, "Consider yourself lucky, Jack, many capable men have died by her hand."

"And for what she saw," Stevens' eyes went dark, "she can consider herself dead."


	9. Unity 9

**Unity**

**Chapter nine:**

The Underground:

Jennifer was standing a few feet away from a ladder leading up to a manhole. Her sight was directed towards the circular entrance, while several thoughts and doubts went through her head.

"Hi, Jenny, what are you doing?" The orange-skinned girl turned and saw a boy about her age, his skin was completely covered by pustules.

"Umm…I…There's a new candy shop up above and I was thinking about sneaking in."

"Good idea, I'll go with you."

"Uh, better not, it's still early and there's plenty of people outside."

"Right, one look at us and we'll be thrown in jail," he said as he came up to her side, "But Rob's working on it. Pretty soon we'll be able to walk out there without being afraid." Jennifer looked down and sighed sadly.

"You really think Rob's doing the right thing, huh?"

"Well," the boy scratched his head, "I'm not too keen about this war idea, and he's acting quite scary lately. But the end justifies the means, right?"

"But the end he's aiming for is worth nothing," she muttered angrily. "Listen, Rob is-"

"Jenny, Rob warned us about you, he told us not to listen to anything you say. I shouldn't even be here with you." The longhaired girl was shocked by this revelation. "Look, I don't have anything against you, it's just that-"

"You don't have to excuse yourself, I understand. Rob's a man of action, he's got a vision and is working towards it. I'm just a silly little girl who goes around, claiming to see ghosts."

"I'm sorry, Jenny," the boy said as he left.

Jennifer stood there, feeling even lonelier. Robert, or rather the thing she sensed, had successfully alienated her from everyone else, probably through the use of fear. She made up her mind and took hold of the first rung.

"Only one place left I can go to."

Elsewhere, some of the morlocks Robert had sent to sabotage the rally were returning. Three dozen had left, only six came back.

"Awesome plan, Rob," Cloud mocked, "What exactly were you trying to accomplish?" The magma-skinned leader didn't answer, he just sat there pensively. "We lost a lot of our best fighters, not to mention a couple of close friends."

"Hephestus," Rob murmured.

"Huh?"

"Hephestus," he repeated as the flames in his hand grew more intense, "Greek god of fire and a genius in metallurgy, he was unmatched when it came to creating weapons. But the other gods did not treat him as an equal, he was banished from Mount Olympus, simply because he wasn't as beautiful as they were." The renamed morlock finally raised his head, there was a wicked smile on his lips. "The similarity is undeniable." The gray-skinned one gulped, taking the name of a god was not a good sign. "To answer your question, I had ordered this attack mainly to piss off Stevens, give him something to think about before opening his big mouth, and maybe take out a human or two."

"If you put it that way, I'd say the mission was a success." Of course, this was a sarcastic comment. Hephestus got up suddenly and threw an immense blast towards a column, melting it as if it were wax. That scare nearly gave the shape-shifter a heart attack.

"It was a failure! The damn newscasts have sold themselves like whores! 'An altercate' they say!" He dropped on his seat again. "Very well, we'll have to give them something bigger then."

"Bigger? Are you serious!? I just came from there myself, lots of damage, lots of people injured, and just like you wanted, a couple were even killed." Gus chose that moment to enter.

"Hey Rob, did you-"

"My name is Hephestus."

"Umm, right. Did you recruit someone who can alter his size by any chance?"

"No, I didn't. Why do you ask?"

"Some of the survivors are mumbling stuff about a giant, they claim they saw it right before blacking out." Cloud rubbed his chin.

"You know, I've heard rumors about that giant as well. Maybe we should look for this guy while we let the results of this attack take their course."

"Leave him alone," the ashen-haired leader ordered, "And we don't wait for any results, they won't be the ones I want."

"And what do you want?" Cloud asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"Panic!" the magma-skinned one growled, "I want a body count that reaches hundreds, I want something so big, not even all the money in Washington will be able to cover it."

"Rob-er-Hephestus, calm down," the gooey one said, "They may be trying to cover it up, but they can't hide everything. The surface-dwellers know there's something going on. Trouble's going to fester among them soon, you'll see, we just have to sit back and be patient."

"Need I remind you we're at war? If one side goes passive the other one advances. We're gaining on him, but Stevens is still in the lead. We must keep pressuring if we want to reach our goal, the death of every single human!" The other two morlocks stood there silently.

"You've lost it," the gray-skinned man finally declared.

"Excuse me?"

"I helped you start this project because it was supposed to get us our rights, our freedom, but this is becoming a…" Cloud was too upset to find the right words. "To hell with all this, I quit!" He left the room fuming and was about to change into mist form when he saw an explosion in front of him, then he followed everyone's appalled gazes to find the smoking orifice in the middle of his chest. Cloud barely managed to turn around and see how his executioner's flames changed from red to blue.

"You're either with me or against me," Hephestus quoted as his once friend collapsed, "And the same goes for the rest of you," he added menacingly in a voice loud enough to be heard by everyone. "If you wish to desert, then do so, I have no need for cowards. Just make sure I don't see you, and most importantly, make sure I never find you ever again." No one spoke out their answer; some agreed with the magma-skinned morlock, this army had no room for traitors, the rest were just too terrified. The magma-skinned morlock smiled and went back inside, he had important plans to come up with.

"Cloud…" Gus stood motionless at the spot beside his friend's body, even after he was taken away and everyone went back to their business. "Thank heavens Jenny wasn't around to-JENNIFER!!" He bolted out of there like a bat out of hell. Jennifer had been against all this since the beginning, and now it was obvious, her life was in grave danger.

*****

Xavier's school:

"Feels weird being in a place like this while **being invited," Mystique said as she stepped out of the Blackbird, "Weird, but good."**

"Not to mention that, for once, you're wearing your own face," Cyclops added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Neptune asked. The polymorph answered by utilizing her power to become the ocean senshi's twin. "Ara, you people never cease to amaze me."

"Just don't make yourself at home," Wolverine warned as he pulled his hood off, "You're here to tell us what you know and that's it." Uranus shared his mistrust, after all, they did say this woman was a member of the brotherhood of mutants.

"Knock it off, Logan," Beast said. "It is necessary that we know, Mystique, what were you doing at Stevens' in the first place?"

"Oh, I was just trying to earn myself two-hundred grand for killing the son of a bitch." Everyone stopped and turned to look at her with wide open eyes. "I'm an assassin, remember?" The sand-blonde senshi rolled her eyes and huffed.

"Just when I start getting used to all this, another curve ball is thrown at me."

A moment later they were at the infirmary. The two old friends stopped their conversation as the young ones entered.

"Welcome back everyone," Charles greeted.

"Hello, Professor," Jean replied, "…Magneto." She'd acknowledged him out of courtesy, although she would rather see him behind bars.

"Well, at least I know someone's glad to see me." The white-haired man raised an eyebrow at the two aqua-eyed girls. "I presume one of you is Mystique."

"Oops, I almost forgot." The female mutant reverted. "Hey, Eric, you look terrible."

"Well, what were you expecting? I had to fly non-stop over the Atlantic, all the way from Germany."

"That explains the dried-up saltwater," Dr. McCoy pointed out as he checked the bandages, "What ever drove you to do something so dangerous and foolhardy?"

"Something very urgent," the mutant extremist answered, "Have a seat, this will be a rather long tale. I was in Europe doing some research about strange occurrences, similar to the ones I'd provoked in my youth. At a former mental asylum, I discovered an old envelope with crumpled pages inside, written by one of the patients. It told the story of a concentration camp, of how one day both prisoners and officers went insane and a furious battle broke out. Each group started out by fighting their enemies, but soon they went out at each other, it became every man for himself. The sole survivor passed away after writing it all down." Eric took a deep breath, "The story was so detailed that I had trouble sleeping."

"This sudden violence you describe sounds similar to the riots that are breaking out now," Storm noted, "But it can't be the same thing, otherwise there should be a record of some sort."

"I believe the reason for such absence is the fact these continuous incidents occurred at that one location only," the white-haired man explained. "The nazi army tried to conduct several investigations, but every troop sent was afflicted by this destructive madness. In the end, the camp was sealed and utterly forsaken, earning the reputation of haunted over time. I developed a theory of my own, how this behavior had been caused by a mutant, one who probably used psychic waves or chemical manipulation. I searched out the camp, and after a little excavating, discovered a secret passage. I could tell right away that it wasn't part of the prison, in fact, I wager it'd been built thousands of years before."

"Probably a civilization that preceded the Celtics, judging by the geography," Henry thought, "But their constructions had little or nothing to do with tunnels."

"I think we're dealing with something completely different, Dr. McCoy, especially considering it didn't resemble any sort of European architecture. But we're straying from the subject, I walked down a corridor that seemed to go on for miles and came up to a wall covered with runes. I couldn't recognize any of them, save one, the symbol of a crescent moon with its horns pointing upwards." The senshi shared a glance when they heard this, Pluto looked extra worried. "It didn't take me long to figure out it was a seal of sorts."

"You didn't by any chance open the seal, ne?" the aqua-eyed senshi asked hopefully, even though the answer was all too obvious.

"Yes, I did. And it was no easy task, it took me several hours and I had to carry steel back from the camp." Eric leaned back and took a deep breath. "On hindsight, I was too curious for my own good."

"I can figure out the rest," Cyclops said, "Whatever the hell you released beat the crap out of you, you realized you committed a huge mistake, and came to warn the professor as soon as possible."

"And we're facing that thing now," Jean guessed, "Please, Magneto, you have to tell us! What did you see?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I saw nothing. The moment I stepped through the threshold I suffered some sort of hallucination, I felt an amount of rage so great it was frightening, memories and pent up frustrations arose within my mind. I must've blacked out because the next thing I knew was being in a hospital." He closed his eyes and tried to remember something more. "I heard a voice calling to me through the madness, it said: 'destroy everyone'."

"That's exactly what happened to me!" the blue-skinned woman exclaimed. "Well, it wasn't so extreme, but the moment I saw that creature I felt an urge to change into something monstrous and claw everyone on sight." She ran her hand through her hair. "It took all of my willpower to stay under control."

"And what sort of creature did you see?" Charles inquired.

"It was seven feet tall I think, with black skin and wings, or perhaps it was a cape."

"Wouldn't it be easier if you just changed shape instead of giving us a description?" the feral man interrupted.

"All I took was a glimpse, bozo, I can't become someone I don't have a clear image of. I do know it had tusks, and three horns growing towards the back-"

"By the kami, don't let it be so!" Everyone was startled by the time senshi's shout. "Chikuso, why didn't I realize it sooner!?"

"Umm, Sailor Pluto," Storm said nervously, "What exactly did you realize?"

"The identity of what we're facing," the longhaired senshi answered, "Mystique's description jolted my memory. I too faced that thing once, when I was a child."

"Goodness, that must have been awful!" Jean exclaimed.

"So it is an enemy we faced in our past lives!" Uranus exclaimed. Even though it was a confirmation, there was a tone of surprise in her voice, this came out of the unbelievable fact that the millennial Sailor Pluto had once been an infant.

"Ie, none of you were born yet. It was Queen Serenity herself, alongside her own senshi, who'd faced this dilemma."

"Wait a second," Cyclops called, "Past lives? Queen Serenity? What are you three talking about?"

"Gomen, Scott-kun, minna-san," the ocean senshi answered, "you'll have to get by without several details. I can only tell you that we, the senshi, are the reincarnations of people who lived in the civilization McCoy-san and Magneto spoke of."

"That's a bit hard to swallow," the blue-skinned woman countered, "But I've seen too many strange things not to believe you. And how else can I name the monster I saw other than demon?"

"And a demon it is," the emerald-haired senshi confirmed, "one that is likely to destroy all of us if we don't stop it now."

"I've heard enough," Logan said as he stood up, "Who cares how old it is? What matters is, we know what it's doing and where to find it. Look alive, blue girl, you're taking us to Stevens' pad."

"Whoa there! I only agreed to come here to tell you what I know, I never said anything about joining this band of misfits. If you want to face some hellish creature, do it on your own."

"Your talents should be most helpful to us, Mystique," her leader replied. He gave a sly grin, "And despite your claims, I know you're dying to be a part of this." The polymorph narrowed her eyes.

"I've allowed you to find out too much about me." She sighed as her head dropped in defeat. "Fine then, and I do owe Pluto for helping me earlier. But going there now won't do any good, my presence was revealed, the place will be either deserted or have its defenses beefed up to the max."

"And there's still more to learn about this being, right, Pluto?"

"Hai, Ororo-chan, but I can't remember much at the moment. I'll have to do a bit of research of my own in order to get all the necessary information."

"I can help you with that," Beast offered.

"Arigato, McCoy-san, but I'm going to a place that's accessible to me only." The longhaired senshi turned to her sisters, "Uranus, Neptune, could you please wait for me here? It'll save us a bit of time. With your permission of course, Xavier-sama."

"It's already been granted," the elderly telepath responded with a grin. Pluto nodded "and you're welcome to stay too, Ms Darkholme."

"Thank you very much, Professor," the yellow-eyed woman replied with a little curtsey. _Although I will feel more like a captive than a guest. Better keep an eye open. Right away she realized it was a mistake to think that way in front of Xavier. Boy did she feel embarrassed._

"I'm leaving then," Pluto announced, "I'll return as soon as possible." She gave a brief glow then vanished. It was the first time Magneto and Mystique had seen a senshi teleport, so they were quite amazed.

"And what can we do until Pluto comes back?" Storm asked.

"Well, we can keep an eye on Stevens, see how his campaigns progressing," Neptune suggested, "so far, he's our prime suspect."

"And let's not forget about the morlocks," Cyclops reminded, "they're brewing a lot of trouble on their own."

"True," Henry agreed, "But at this hour, the best we can do is rest and recover. And some of us need to more than others." He added this last part while throwing a glance at his white-haired patient.

"It was never in me to ignore a doctor's orders."

Charles and Eric were going to chat a while longer; always a gentleman, Dr McCoy led Mystique to a room she could use; the rest went down another corridor.

"Unbelievable," Logan grumbled as he lit a cigar, "first we take Magneto in, and now Mystique's sleeping over. What's next?"

"Maybe Sabretooth will show up and you two will hit a pub," Cyclops quipped. The feral man narrowed his eyes.

"I'm actually more upset at your pathetic lack of wit."

"Oh? I suppose you could come up with something better."

"If that's a challenge, Scott, then you're on." The guys kept this up as they entered the elevator, the four girls stood outside and sweat-dropped.

"Eto, do these two always behave this way?" the sand-blonde inquired.

"Much too often," Jean answered with a tired sigh. The senshi looked at each other and shared a giggle, it'd been fun to find this team's Usagi and Rei.

Upstairs, in the mansion, the students were getting ready to go to bed. David and Remy stayed up to watch a tabloid-type news program. Bobby was with them, though he kept himself busy making ice figurines. Right now, the screen was showing scenes from the aftermath of the X-Men and Senshi's last battle, mostly the damage, the injured and the chaos. Only the presence of the police kept the casualties from being broadcast.

"_Do you see this, Mr. Mayor? Do you see what's going on!? Hell, get your pansy ass back here from Maui and get to work!_" The pseudo-reporter kept on shouting and ranting.

"The guy's a prick, but at he shows both human and mutant victims," the dark-haired one commented as he sat up, "And he's fair when it comes to dealing out the blame, not laying it all on us."

"_Oui_, and he's not afraid to show things the way they are." The red-eyed boy leaned back. "It's good to have someone who doesn't put rose-colored makeup on the news."

"Hypocrites, all three of you," the cold-wielder accused, "All that clown cares about is raking in the ratings, and you guys only watch this because of the lingerie commercials."

"We live in an ugly world, _mon ami, which makes it a sad one," the bayou-dweller philosophized, "Happiness consists on finding and choosing beautiful things to admire, and Remy chose _femme_."_

"Dude, give our stomachs a rest," David complained. He pushed the mute button. "But if you're in the mood for an enlightening conversation, Drake, I'm game. You two remember what happened at Central Park? Chibi-Usa was their target."

"You're right," Bobby agreed, "she must be of some importance to them." He pondered this matter a little more. "You know, Ms Grey told me once that some mutations are much too subtle to be detected, even by the person. Maybe Chibi-Usa's not quite aware of who she is." The fair-haired boy shook his head. "But there's little we can do, I mean, the X-Men must be taking care of that. Surely Rogue's told them what she saw already."

"Uh, she hasn't," Remy corrected. The other two narrowed their eyes at him. "She's been meaning to tell the professor, but Remy's been distracting her a little."

"I should drive my claws through you, you nitwit Casanova," David snarled. Then he thought of something. "We could use this."

"What are you talking about?" the fair-haired teen asked.

"It's our opportunity to be noticed! I haven't figured out the details yet, but if we stick to Chibi-Usa and act as bodyguards, we'll score some big merit points with the X-Men. Hey, Doctor McCoy himself said we kicked ass back at the park, using a slightly different vocabulary."

"What happened at the park was a totally different situation, we had no choice but to defend ourselves. Are you aware of the trouble we might get into if we tried something like this?"

"Remy agrees with our frigid friend, we better take caution and leave this in the hand's of Cyclops' team."

"LeBeau, do you know how much girls swoon over a hero?" David asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Then again, many important people gained that status because they took risks."

"Unbelievable," Bobby huffed, "You guys may hate me for this, but I won't let my friends get involved in a mess they can't get out of, so I'm telling Professor Xavier."

"Listen, Drake," David's hands changed shape a little as he held his friend by the shoulder, "Growing up at my neighborhood was no easy matter, if you wanted something, you had to fight and earn it. This not only made you stronger, it gave you a feeling of accomplishment." The dark-haired boy let go. "I haven't felt that since I got here, I want to again."

"A man's right of reaching fulfillment is inalienable," the bayou-dweller backed up, quoting their furry science teacher.

"Well…" The blue-eyed boy scratched his chin. "Technically, we won't be looking for trouble, as long as we're close to Chibi-Usa it'll come looking for us." He held out his hand. "Okay, I'm in, just make sure the girls don't know about this, Giselle is too big a blabbermouth."

"Don't I know it," David replied as he shook on it.

Rogue was lying alone in the dorm-room when Giselle and the others came in, dressed in their sleepwear.

"We're done," the green-scaled girl announced as she finished brushing her hair, "The showers are all yours."

"Thanks," the brunette answered as she picked up her towel and pajamas.

"Rogue-chan, I you don't mind me asking, why do you bathe all by yourself?" Hotaru inquired.

"Safety, of course. Suppose I slip on a bar of soap and you rush over to help me." She giggled and blushed deeply. "It actually happened once. Luckily, the girl possessed a tremendous amount of life-force, so there wasn't much damage. She still fainted, and we ended up in a position that was quite embarrassing." Kathy gave a wolf-whistle. It was the only sound she could do safely, but she was able to give an ample description.

"'Nuff said," Giselle quoted. The white-streaked girl left while the rest laughed at her expense, everyone except Hotaru. The pale girl stared at her own hands, recalling her life before meeting Chibi-Usa. True, touching her skin wasn't deadly, but it felt dead to the touch, and that was just as bad. The odango-headed princess noticed her friend's rising melancholy and did something to snap her out of it.

"So, Hotaru-chan, what do you think of Remy-kun?"

"Nani? What about Remy-san?" The silent mutant elbowed Hotaru and gave her a wink. The Japanese preteen knew exactly what Chibi-Usa was talking about, and blushed because of it. "Eto… I suppose he has been quite attentive."

"Attentive?" The emerald-haired girl slapped her forehead. "Hotaru, didn't you hear my warning? That swamp-rat's only being nice so he can get close enough to leer down your blouse." Kathy tapped on her shoulder and frowned sternly. "Okay, I'm being a wee bit unfair. Remy has set himself a line and never crosses it. And even though his pickup lines leave a lot to be desired, whenever he's alone with you he uses his best material, and that's truly worth listening to."

"Hai, the ruby-eyed girl agreed, "I overheard a conversation about him back at the locker room. Remy-kun is handsome, and I suppose he's charming by certain standards. Too bad about the leering, that is quite bothersome." The white-haired girl leaned towards Chibi-Usa and gave a mischievous smirk. How would she know? "Che, you don't have much to brag about either, Kathy-chan. And I'll have you know that women in my family have always been generously endowed." She remembered that mishap when she switched ages with Usagi, so she knew what the future had in store for her appearance.

"Well, as long as I'm confessing," Giselle said as she retook control of the conversation, "Remy didn't bother me much at first, in fact, I appreciated it. I mean, these scales scared a lot of guys away, they still do, so Remy actually helped me a lot by making me feel attractive for once. Obviously, this was before becoming Davey's girlfriend, then I felt a lot better." She leaned back. "As to the subject of size, face it, I am the undisputed champion, with Hotaru coming in second at a considerable distance." The yellow-eyed girl expected the amethyst-eyed one's vanity and pride to click. Instead, Hotaru blushed furiously and tried to hide behind the pillow she was holding. "But that's only until Rogue comes back, she's got the best looking body among us."

"You shouldn't talk that way about her, Giselle-chan," the future princess scolded.

"Why not? I'm not talking badly about her."

"Ie, but Rogue-chan's looks must be a burden to her. And someone should tell that to Remy-kun," Chibi-Usa added, "he certainly pesters her a lot." The others nodded in agreement. The young brunette came back into the room at that very moment.

"Aah, that was refreshing," she said as she put her hair up, "What were you guys talking about?"

"Oh, Giselle-chan's just being a bragger," the pink-haired girl answered. She then gave a loud yawn, she'd been holding it down for a while now and finally succumbed.

"You're not coming down with something, are you, Chibi-Usa?" the pale mutant asked, "A couple of hours ago you were fine, then just like that you're look all tired out."

"Ie, I feel fine, just sleepy, that's all."

"Nevertheless, you should go to sleep," Hotaru suggested. She was starting to worry about her dear friend, maybe those monsters were too much for Sailor Chibi-Moon to handle.

"Come on, it's still early, I don't want to be left out of all the fun," the odango-headed girl pouted, "If I do need more rest, I'll get it in the morning." A few minutes later though, she was snoring away, the others decided to do the same. Just as the violet-haired girl was about to climb up to her bunk, Rogue came up to her.

"Hotaru, I don't mean to pry, but this afternoon you and Chibi-Usa seemed to vanish for a while."

"Eto, we were looking for the bathroom and sort of got lost, it's easy to do among all these corridors." Her tone was hardly convincing.

"Listen, I understand if you want to keep some things to yourselves. But if you ever want to talk, I'm here; or you can go to the professor, he's an awesome listener."

"Arigato, Rogue-chan, I'll keep it in mind." The pale girls smiled warmly at each other then went to their respective beds. Hotaru fell asleep, feeling more welcome than ever.

*****

Jack Stevens' H.Q., the next morning:

"…_Mutant anomaly is not present_," the computerized voice stated.

"You see?" the black man huffed, "I told ya you were wasting your time. There ain't no muties here."

"It's the new standard procedure," the guard explained, "We're all going to have to go through this from now on, so I'd suggest you stop complaining." After Mystique's cover had been blown, Rogers had special scanners brought in. They were designed to detect mutated genes, no matter how scarce or underdeveloped. His vision was to have these things at airports, nuclear power plants, factories and schools.

The three troopers who had just been frisked walked away, feeling quite annoyed.

"Can you believe that guy? He sees one mutant, at an office he hardly ever uses, and goes all paranoid, like some addict seeing bugs and shit."

"Hey, he may be exaggerating," a redhead replied, "but he's the boss, it's his way or the highway, so we better not bellyache if we want to keep our jobs."

"I heard the interloper was some sort of transforming chick," a third trooper informed, "If we get her, I'm gonna make her turn into my best friend's wife. 'Cause let me tell you, that woman is a gorgeous piece of-" A door flew open and Stevens' appeared, so much anger was being shot from his eyes that he actually looked demonic.

"If you ever think about doing something that sickening again, I'll lock you up in an asylum and put you into shock therapy. Understood?"

"Y-yes sir." The trio marched away as fast as possible. The mousy-haired man followed at a regular pace, along with Rogers. The old veteran was planning to give his men a severe reprimand later on, while his former disciple thought of something harsher and more definite. A moment later they were at the latter's office, Michael was waiting for them.

"Welcome, Sir. Mr. Rogers, here is the folder with the information you requested, directly from Japan."

"Good work, my boy," Jim praised, "A man of your discipline should fit quite well in the army."

"With all due respect, Sir, the military is beneath my stature."

"If you say so. Now, Jack, here I hold data about those girls in sailor uniforms. We have very few witnesses, fewer photos, and none of them are clear enough to make a positive I.D. Still, we've been able to gather a fair amount of information."

"Spill it out then," the bigot demanded impatiently, "Who are these mini-skirted bimbos?" Rogers rolled his eyes. He had the lights turned off, projected the first picture on the wall and began the briefing.

"They call themselves the senshi, they're 9 in total and named after each planet in the solar system. The short-haired blonde, Uranus, is armed with a sword and her attacks use wind energy, she seems to be the strongest, so we should consider her to be the leader; the wavy-haired one, Neptune, utilizes water energy, don't be fooled by the mirror, it fires a powerful beam; the long-haired one, Pluto, uses a staff, the jewel on top fires blasts of an unidentified nature, it's also unknown whether the intricate design of her weapon serves some purpose; finally, the thin one, Saturn, she can create an impenetrable barrier, and her weapon can cut through any material, just look at that concrete wall, she must be considered as quite dangerous."

"What about the pink runt?"

"She's the most intriguing one," Rogers responded as he crossed his arms, "Hardly any information, but all witnesses agree that she's utterly useless. I have no idea why she's a part of this team." The lights went back on. "I know what you're going to ask next," the gray-haired man told Stevens, "and the answer is: no, we don't know if they're mutants. We will find out once the sentinels encounter and use their scanners on them."

"You mean you're finally going to use those robots?" Stevens asked with morbid hope.

"Absolutely, what happened last night convinced me of how wrong I was by being so cautious. We must strike at catastrophes before they occur, violently if need be, it is the only way to ensure peace."

"Most importantly," Jack added, "it will hasten the extinction of mutant-What the hell is that noise?" Indeed, the sound of quarreling was coming from outside the room. The three men went to see what it was.

"That piece of crap doesn't know anything! Do you see wings or something on my back, huh?"

"Explain your behavior," Michael demanded in his passive tone, "I don't believe I need to remind you we're cutting down personnel based on competence."

"We're having some trouble with the scanner, Sir," the guard holding said item explained, "Watch." He pressed a few buttons and everyone waited.

"_…Mutant anomaly detected_."

"That damn thing's broken or something! I'm well past my teen years, and I've never-" He was silenced for good by a bullet through his head. Everyone looked at Stevens with shock as he put the smoking gun into its holster.

"Michael, check its barracks, see what you can find any stolen information. You two, get rid of that freak." He started to walk away then noticed no one had moved, except for his indigo-haired majordomo. "Didn't you hear me!?"

"Y-yes sir, right away!" Fumblingly, the two guards took away their fallen comrade.

"I won't condemn what you've just done, Jack. After all, we're in a precarious position," Rogers said as we caught up to his once disciple, "But, don't you think you overreacted a little?"

"I'm ensuring peace, Jim, ensuring peace."


	10. Unity 10

****

Unity

Chapter ten:

Stevens' H.Q.:

"Yeouch!"

"Quiet! Do you want us to get caught?" the man with the glasses snapped.

"Actually, I'm more concerned about these robots waking up. What if they flick us off their shoulders? It's an awfully long drop."

"Less talk, more work," Stevens ordered, "I want that virus downloaded on at least half these things." The sentinels counted with a failsafe mechanism that kept them from endangering innocent bystanders while hunting for mutants; the virus the mousy-haired bigot was talking about was design to annul this safety measure. "That idiot, Rogers, made the sentinels obsolete. Mutie vermin have the nerve to mingle with us, as long as they do so, they'll be safe. We need this victory, we can't be queasy about breaking some eggs."

"I understand perfectly, sir," the one with the glasses replied, "But, aren't you worried about personal repercussions? What if the sentinels are traced back here? Your campaign will go kaput and you'll be sent to prison."

"Don't be stupid, I've taken precautions, even if New York City is reduced to rubble, evidence will show that I had nothing to do with it." Stevens checked his watch. "Let's go, the sentinels are about to start their patrol." The three of them left the gargantuan hangar. _The only culprits will be two saboteurs who were too careless to cover their tracks_, he thought with a wicked sneer.

*****

Xavier's school:

Moving swiftly through a field of floating rocks, Sailor Uranus leapt to the one below and threw a blast at the three bladed orbs that had been chasing her. One was hit, the other two picked up speed, turned and charged, only to be sliced in half by the Space Sword.

"Chikuso, these things are fast!" she cursed as she checked her flanks. She was ready to destroy more of those machines when a red beam blew them to smithereens.

"Keep your distance, these things are dangerous at close range," the X-Man recommended as he fired his eye-beam at a large cluster of those gadgets. "Thanks for gathering 'em, Jean."

"Any time." The redhead used her telekinesis to take control of two of the boulders and crush a large number of robots. "How many are left?"

"Not many," Neptune noted, "Deep Submerge!" The watery attack took care of the remaining orbs in sight. "I think that's all of them, it's hard to tell among these blasted rocks."

"Neptune, move!" her lover yelled.

"Nani?" the aqua-eyed senshi turned to see a boulder looming above her head. She was pulled away just as it crashed against the one she was standing on. "Phew, arigato, Jean-san, I should've been more careful."

"_We can't afford any mistakes, Sailor Neptune, the smallest one can be deadly_," the Professor's voice reminded, "_Keeping that in mind is the whole purpose of this place. Computer, end session_." The cosmic scenario flickered and vanished as the holographic projectors were put away.

"Motoki-kun should get one of these," the sand-blonde whispered into her ocean princess' ear when she came down, "he would retire a rich man in one weekend." They joined Cyclops and Jean at the elevator. "This danger room of yours is amazing!"

"You think this was impressive? You should have Henry show you his RPG's," the red-eyed man quipped. The elevator stopped and they all stepped into the control where they saw Charles and Pluto.

"Unbelievable," the time senshi huffed as she shook her head, "you two are playing videogames while I work my butt off gathering information."

"The kami forbid I become a stick in the mud," Neptune retorted with equally playful sarcasm, "How'd we do in the simulation, Xavier-sama?"

"Quite well, it's surprising to see newcomers achieve such high scores," the telepath congratulated, "However, Sailor Uranus, you tend to be highly competitive. A good quality, but a damaging handicap if you don't keep it in check."

"Hai, I'll keep that in mind." The sand-blonde disliked receiving reprimands, but she couldn't argue against someone who was right. The professor moved into the elevator. "Let's go see the others, they're impatient to hear what Sailor Pluto knows."

"I can't wait to tell them myself," the ruby-eyed woman replied, "and you don't need telepathy to notice."

The rest of the group was at the meeting room, along with Mystique and Magneto, who had recovered enough to walk about. The atmosphere was not pleasant, they were watching the news on the large monitor, it highlighted the various attacks committed by morlock and anti-mutant groups against each other last night.

"Unbelievable," Ororo gasped, "they're told to jump off a bridge then they go ahead and do it. Don't they have minds of their own?"

"That's propaganda," the master of magnetism said, "if people are led to believe in something strongly enough, they will stop at nothing to support it. Stevens and other politicians know of this sort of manipulation." Dr McCoy shot a disapproving glare. "I know I'm in no position to criticize. I do have more class, however, and I am on the winning side."

"There are no winners in war," the blue-furred man retorted, "History books speak of victories, but not the cost." On screen, paramedics were carrying an injured child. "Whatever the future brings, these people will change from persons to mere numbers."

"Hey, it's their fault," Mystique stated, "All we did was show up, they're the ones who started with the torches and pitchforks."

"We've had this argument a thousand times before," Logan piped up, "and repeating it won't get us anywhere." He glimpsed at the set and started pacing. "Where's Pluto? Is she going to tell us what the deal is or not?"

"I understand how you feel, Logan-san," Uranus said as she and the others entered, "all this waiting around is maddening." She turned to her mocha-skinned sister. "So, Pluto, did you do your homework?"

"Hai, but you won't find the news so amusing." Everyone sat down, eager for answers. "Let's review, our foe is a nameless demon, thousands of years old, provokes violent incidents in order to feed out of them, utilizes hypnosis and occasionally possesses people. Now, the first fact you ignore, is that our enemy is of extraterrestrial origin."

"An alien? You mean this is all a plan of invasion?" the white-haired girl asked in disbelief.

"Not invasion, annihilation," Pluto corrected, "Like a virus, it invades and destroys its host as it multiplies within; Earth will become an utterly empty rock by the time this creature has gathered enough energy to create spawn and send them to other worlds."

"I see what you're getting at," Jean said as she crossed her arms, "There's a link between the tale Magneto told us and the brawls we're seeing now; first it was Arians vs Jews, now it's humans vs mutants."

"There are street-fights between humans, those who support us and those who don't," the blue-skinned woman added, "and I saw an argument go bad at Stevens' headquarters. Apparently, every time two different opinions meet all hell breaks loose."

"I see now, each person is led to believe that his or her point of view must be absolute. The demon stokes and thrives on hatred and intolerance," the professor figured out, "and if things continue the way they are, it won't be long before war occurs." Pluto confirmed this with a somber nod.

"And don't forget, mutation is not the only cause for discord," Neptune reminded, "There is also religion, race, politics, this hate-demon will take advantage of them all no doubt."

"Everything is fair game!" the time senshi exclaimed, "We're sure to see racists fighting over which form of execution is best, and mutants about their powers. Pretty soon, subjects such as favorite sport, music, color, dish… all of those will become an excuse for murder."

"Sounds ridiculous," Logan countered, "then again, we are a ridiculous species." The feral man looked up. "Last night, you mentioned how a queen and her soldiers faced that hate-demon. Now it's time for you to tell us the whole story."

"Hai, I'll try to be as brief as possible." The time senshi took a deep breath began her narrative. "We never knew when it arrived, only after a lot of death and destruction did Serenity-sama become aware of the hate-demon's existence. It was an exhausting search, and there was an incredible battle once the senshi of the Silver millenium found it. It had grown too strong to eliminate, all her majesty could manage was to weaken and contain it."

"Do you think she can stop it again?" Scott asked, "If she reincarnated too, that is."

"I'm afraid she didn't," the wind senshi answered, "but I think we can manage on our own. Remember the battle last night? If the hate-demon can't keep up a force-field and giants at the same time, it means that it's yet to reach its full potential. So we may be able to completely destroy it if we pool our own powers."

"Our first obstacle is to find it, though," Eric pointed out. "Considering what Mystique went through, it must be collaborating with Stevens," the white-haired villain deduced, "that man's position and resources are a useful tool."

"Don't forget about the morlocks, Eric," his old friend reminded, "their resentment should be considered an energy source. We must search on both sides."

"We better get started," the red-eyed leader said, "finding a particular morlock colony among miles of tunnels is a feat all its own. And locating Stevens won't be easy either."

"Leave him to me," the metamorph offered, "A quick visit to a government building and a little data download should give us much necessary information."

"Widening our will save us time," Neptune added as she and her sisters got up, "Let's keep in touch as we find out more." The intercom started ringing, someone was at the front door.

"Of course, we can't forget about the school," Ororo reminded, "Jean and I will hold the fort, you guys find out how to defeat this monster." Everyone left. Pluto decided to stay at the institute so that she and the remaining X-Men could come up with a proper strategy. Eric was in need of more rest, and Charles accompanied him to his room.

"This situation scares me to death," the telepath confessed, "The end of humanity at its own hands, my personal nightmare come true."

"I'm reminded of the holocaust," his white-haired friend replied, "One man, one creature uses manipulation and drives the world mad." They got to the infirmary where the mutant extremist came to a halt. "Charles, I will collaborate in every possible way. But keep in mind that I'm doing so to aid our kind, not the humans."

"Hi, Jean," one of the students greeted as she came into the hall, "Giselle's parents are here, I'll go get her."

"Really?" The redhead went up to the couple, they looked worried and impatient. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, you're here to visit Giselle I presume."

"Yes, Miss Grey," the man responded, "Could you please call her, we're in a bit of a hurry."

"I'm here," the green-scaled girl announced. She happened to be passing by. "Mom, Dad! How come you're here a week early?" She then noticed that her mother was carrying a trench-coat and wide-brimmed hat. "Umm, what are you doing with those?"

"We're taking you home, dear," the black-haired woman answered, "Come, put this on and get into the car."

"No way!" Giselle shouted. She sprinted up the wall before they could reach out for her. "I like it here! You're not taking me away from my friends!"

"Giselle, listen, we want you to be somewhere safe," her father insisted, "Haven't you been watching the news? These radicals are attacking everywhere there are mutants present, it's dangerous for you to stay here, at Xavier's."

"I suppose you idiots can do much better," David mocked defiantly, standing at the foot of the stairs. "You're not qualified to protect Giselle, we are. She has to stay with her own kind."

"David, we're in no mood to argue," Giselle's father replied angrily, "So quit pestering and let us on our way."

"Think you can take me, old man?" The mutant teen emphasized this threat by making his claws grow. The yellow-eyed girl let herself drop and hissed right at his face.

"Lay one finger on him, jerk, and I'll shove those things so far up your-"

"Okay, everyone quiet down!" Jean scolded, "Now, Mr. & Mrs. Anderson, I understand your concern, but frankly, I do believe your daughter will be much safer in the institute."

"I know, she told us about security here," the man replied, "but I don't care if defenses are tighter than at Fort Knox, I'm Giselle's father and I know what's best for her."

"Hello!" the girl in question raised her voice, "Don't I have a say in the matter? It's my life you know."

"Quite right," Charles said as he showed up, "In spite of our experience, none of us has right to choose for Giselle." He turned to the reptilian girl, "You have matured since you first came through our doors, therefore I will trust your judgement."

"You don't miss the chance of turning everything into a lesson, do you, sir?" The green-scaled girl gave her mother a glance, she saw her anxiety and sighed. "Give me a minute to pack my things and I'll be right with you."

"What!?" her dark-haired boyfriend couldn't believe what he'd just heard, "Are you crazy? How can you just…" David realized there was no point in arguing. "Fine! Do whatever you want, lizard hag, see if I care!"

"Dave, wait! Oh, what's the use?" Giselle's mother came close and put her hand on her shoulder. "I'm okay… You guys want to wait at the rec-room? I won't take long."

"We'll wait outside," the black-haired woman answered, "it's a sunny day." Giselle went one way and her parents the other, leaving Jean and Charles to themselves.

"Professor, are you sure about this?"

"Mr. Anderson intends to take his family away from the city; as far as we know, that's beyond our foe's influence. And giving them peace of mind is important, even if it chips away at mine."

"There's something else that's worrying you, isn't there?"

"The nature of our school has been kept a secret to most, and we are prepared for a possible attack." The telepath linked his hands and frowned. "Now that the subject has been raised, however, I'm afraid I might be pushing my luck. I better pay heed to caution and make a phone call."

Upstairs at their bedroom, Rogue, Kathy, Hotaru and Chibi-Usa were helping their green-scaled friend pack.

"I don't know, Giselle-chan," the petit princess commented, "even if it was for my own good, I wouldn't be fond of the idea of being locked up in my room."

"Oh, it won't be like that at all," Giselle replied, "Dad bought a beach house recently, lots of room, plenty of privacy, swimming, sunbathing…" She made a pause then broke out laughing, "I'm gonna look like an iguana."

"We're going to miss you, even if our time spent together was so brief," the amethyst-eyed girl said, "Here, don't forget these photos." One was a picture of the whole gang, the other, of herself and David. The young mutant looked at it and took a deep breath.

"Umm, Giselle," the streaked brunette started, "why don't you take a minute to talk to David before leaving?"

"Dad won't wait, I can tell he wants to get behind the wheel as soon as possible, and Dave's too stubborn to talk and solve this." Giselle closed her suitcase. "I'll call him when I get there."

"That's probably a good idea, I saw David-kun as he went down the corridor, and he needs time to cool off," the odango-headed girl said, "Besides, you know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"Or forgetful," Giselle added, "Who says Dave won't fall prey to some other girl's flirting? I mean, look at me, this is way worse than acne."

"Are you actually worried about your appearance?" Hotaru inquired in amazement, "It's the first time I've heard you do so."

"Umm, I…" The scales on Giselle's cheeks took a reddish hue and everyone laughed.

"You've got nothing to worry about," Rogue assured, "You two have been steady for six months now, it'll take more than a pretty face to steal him away."

"Yeah, you're right. Well, I'm off. Don't see me to the door, I wouldn't keep my self from crying and that'll ruin my image." A couple of more hugs and good-byes and the longhaired girl left.

"Giselle-chan has nothing to worry about," Chibi-Usa assured, "Cupid-in-training, Tsukino Usagi, shall keep this thread of love going strong!" A baffled Rogue turned to a sweat-dropping Hotaru, who wordlessly recommended not to intervene. The ruby-eyed girl then noticed something amiss. "Is something wrong, Kathy-chan?" she asked, "Pardon the expression, but you've been awfully quiet." The silent mutant's response was to point out the window. "Trees? Leaves? Green?…Jealous, you're jealous of Giselle-chan?" Kathy nodded, though her pinching gesture indicated that it was only a little. "How come?"

"Simple," the pale mutant explained, "most of us have been practically forsaken by our families." She beckoned everyone to look out the window. They saw Giselle being fitted with the coat and hat as she was led into the vehicle. "Those scenes are rare, a lot of parents wish to have nothing to do with a mutant child. Oh, don't get me wrong! I'm still very fond of Giselle, and I'm glad that she's so lucky, even if I can't help a little envy."

"But, is it right to feel that way about your friends?" Chibi-Usa asked.

"The grass is greener on the other side of the fence," Hotaru quoted, "Especially to those who've lived in barren yards. I must confess, Chibi-Usa-chan, when we first met, I felt a little envious because of your friends and family." The pink-haired one was quite surprised to hear this.

"Well I…I guess you couldn't help it. But, you know, Hotaru-chan? I too was jealous of you, and I still say your healing power is a wonderful gift." The white-haired girl agreed with a firm nod, then tapped her choker and spread out her hands. Destroying with one's voice could never be considered a gift.

"Dr McCoy will find out how to let you talk again," Rogue said, "he even says my power can be put under control." She leaned against the windowsill and sighed longingly. "But sometimes the wait is too much to bear, especially when everyone calls you a freak." Kathy took Rogue's gloved hand and Chibi-Usa gave Hotaru a squeeze. Hardships become easier to bear with the company of good friends.

"Hey, what are you doing cooped up in here?" Remy called from the door. "Come on, a day as beautiful as you four must be enjoyed." The girls laughed merrily as they followed the teen Creole outside. Jolly hearts are a great help too.

*****

Hephestus' colony:

"A kidnapping?" the magma-skinned leader questioned.

"Yup," the horned morlock answered, "Actually, it's only a rumor I started two days ago, kids being stolen and taken to the southeastern subway tunnels. (chuckle) And the stupid humans swallowed it hook, line and sinker."

"Your plan has its merit," Hephestus noted, "The authorities can't be called since no crime has actually been committed, so they'll have no choice but to go after the fictitious children themselves."

"And they'll walk right into a trap! Isn't it a beauty?"

"It will cause fear and uncertainty, which I like. There's one flaw, however, there's no way of knowing when the humans will actually show up."

"Uh yeah, I didn't figure out that part. I thought you could send over some soldiers and they could wait, it shouldn't take long considering how edgy everyone's been lately."

"Do you really think I'm going to send my men to an abandoned station, where they'll have nothing to do but wait around?" the ash-haired man growled, "I have a major project underway and I need all available manpower, so get out of here and stop wasting my time."

"Yeah, but-"

"BEGONE!!" Hephestus roared as he shot a blue fireball at his subject's feet, the horned one got out of there as fast as possible. He wasn't all that disappointed, there wouldn't be a big battle, but he knew the witch-hunt was a sure thing. Years ago, the colony at the southeast had him expelled, and he'd been keeping a grudge ever since.

"They're all wimps, not one among them can put up a fight, and the humans will arrive with rifles and machine guns." The horned one smiled wickedly. "Come to think of it, things will work out a lot better with Rob out of the way." He started laughing cruelly as he thought of the upcoming massacre.

*****

Haruka and Michiru drove their way back towards the school to pick up Hotaru and Chibi-Usa. This gave the racer a chance to unwind, as well as time for the couple to talk.

"So we're not letting Usagi-tachi know, ne?" Michiru asked.

"Hai, we must keep that demon as far away from the ginzuishou as possible." Haruka ran her hand through her hair. "We're sending Chibi-Usa-chan and Hime-chan away for that same reason."

"I know, as long as the hate-demon mistakes Small Lady for her mother she'll be in danger." The aqua-eyed girl leaned back and sighed. "And so will Hime-chan, she has sworn to protect her friend; and even though Saturn has great power, she lacks experience."

"All the more reason to act logically and send them back home as soon as possible, it's the most practical choice," Haruka insisted, "Besides, we're not leaving them high and dry, I'm sure Mako-chan will enjoy looking out for them."

"Hai, she is a very responsible girl and the most qualified for the job." Wanting to change the subject, Michiru took out her Aqua Mirror. "And you, if only you would show us something useful we'd have a lot less headaches. Nani?"

"What is it?"

"Something's up in the air." Haruka pulled over and the image became clearer. "It's Ororo-san, and she's flying right above us."

"That'll teach you to question your talisman," the shorthaired girl teased. She stepped out and looked up. "I think that's her, the speck heading west."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Michiru murmured as she narrowed her eyes, "You get the children, I'm going to follow Storm."

"Hai, please be careful." The violinist grinned reassuringly as she went into a secluded area so she could henshin. Haruka got back into the van and her cellular rang. "Moshi, moshi."

"_Haruka-papa? This is Hotaru. Listen, there's been a change of plans. Kathy-chan remembered a sale she's been waiting for all week and she's awfully eager, so Jean-san is taking us to the mall._"

"Nani? Hime-chan, we don't have time for that!"

"_I know, I know, but Chibi-Usa-chan got so excited with the idea of going shopping that I couldn't bear to stop her_."

"Mmm-hmm," the sand-blonde huffed sarcastically, "and you're not interested at all, ne?"

"_Well…maybe a little, but mostly they're twisting my arm._"

"Right." Haruka shook her head, imagining how badly her child was blushing. "Okay, you may go, but we're leaving as soon as I get there. Ja ne." Just as she was about to leave, the shorthaired girl glanced towards her right and saw two women about to go into a handbag duel. "The sooner we send them home, the better."

*****

Viewtiful Hills Mall:

"I don't think Rogue will be too thrilled about wearing that," was the fair-haired boy's response to his lecherous friend's question. They were passing by a lingerie shop and an outfit in particular had caught Remy's eye.

"Why not? It includes gloves, doesn't it?" Bobby shook his head.

"If Rogue were here she'd hurl you right through that window."

"Nah, she'd know I'm joking," the red-eyed teen countered, "I will buy her something though, an ascot or new gloves, something she can find useful. How does that sound?"

"Now that's a good idea," the cold-wielder agreed, "You go ahead, I'll be keeping an eye on the girls."

"_Oui_, I'll meet you there."

"Here, Hotaru-chan, try this hat on," Chibi-Usa suggested, "Hmm, not bad. What do you think, Kathy-chan?" The white-haired girl dragged her hand from her shoulder down to her waist. "Hai, it'll look better if you let your hair grow long."

"Forget it," the amethyst-eyed girl replied with a frown, "there's no way I'm going to do that."

"It's just a suggestion, you don't have to bite my head off!" Kathy gave a questioning gaze. "It's a long story, one that has to do with a person Hotaru-chan really dislikes." The pink-haired princess tried on another hat. "I should get something for Usagi, otherwise she'll get all… Eto, did anyone else feel that?" There was a strong tremor and the girls ran outside. Through the tainted-glass window they saw a frightful looking shadow. Fright turned into pandemonium when the walls came down and five sentinels came in.

"_Mutant presences detected. Searching for individuals_."

"By the kami, this is not good!" Chibi-Usa exclaimed.

"Less talk, more running!" Hotaru shrieked. She reached out for her friend's hand and fled, not noticing that she hadn't grabbed her friend at all.

"Ara, she's terrified," the odango-headed girl realized as she and Kathy followed. They were about to reach the escalator when it was blown away by a sentinel's beam, and backtracking was impossible thanks to another blast.

"_Target has been contained. Proceed with capture_." The gigantic robot reached out and was hit in the head by a bench.

"Stay away from them!" Jean shouted. The redhead had her work cut out for her, not only did she have to stop these purple titans and protect the students, she also had to make sure everybody else got away safely. "Bobby, get them down!"

"Right! Cover me Remy!" The cold-wielding teen made an ice column while the brown-haired one fired charged stones, using the scarf he'd bought for a sling.

"I'm barely slowing it down. Move it up there!"

"Keep your pants on, we're coming," the pale girl answered, "You go first, Chibi-Usa-chan."

"Hai." The pink-haired girl took hold of the icy pole and slid down to Bobby's arms. "Kuso, that chills. Hurry, Hotaru!"

"I'm right behind you. Come on, Kathy-chan, you're next." The silent mutant never got the chance, the sentinel broke the column as it caught Remy. A hopeless situation, but the bayou dweller's defiant gaze never faltered.

"Didn't your mama tell you not to play with matches?" He reached out with his free hand and used his power on the robot. Its wrist exploded and the hand flew away, along with LeBeau.

"Remy!" Bobby shouted, "Looks like he landed next to Kathy and Hotaru." The fair-haired boy checked on Chibi-Usa, a piece of debris had hit her head and left her out cold. "I better get her out of here, it's the only thing I can do." Already he was forced to escape the damaged robot. "Good luck, you guys, I'll see you at the school."

Jean was at the ropes against the two remaining robots. She'd beaten one using her telekinesis to throw anything she could find. Another had been taken care of by a young boy who had beheaded it by literally turning himself into a human cannonball. Unfortunately, a third sentinel had caught and placed him inside a compartment in its belly.

"I'm not complaining," the redhead panted, "but I could really use some help here."

"Ask and you shall receive," Uranus announced as she appeared, "World shaking!" The amber orb flew through the air and impacted the purple giant on the chest. It didn't fall, just stumbled back a bit.

"_Severe damage, cancellation of mobile ability imminent. Execute preservation program_." Rockets in their feet roared and they took off, right through the ceiling. Once they were in the air, a cloaking device was activated, making them nigh invisible. Down below, the X-Woman raised a shield to cover the heroines from the falling rocks, though she couldn't do anything about the dust.

"(cough) I don't know what's more annoying," the wind senshi grumbled, "those mechanized voices or the fact they've escaped."

"Save it," the redhead telekinetic replied, "there'll be time enough for griping once the kids are safe." She looked up and saw Bobby carrying an unconscious Chibi-Usa. "Bobby! Where are the others?"

"Over there, being chased by that monster. You gotta help them!"

"Hai, you get Chibi-Usa out of here. Let's go, Jean-san!"

Meanwhile, Hotaru and Kathy were pulling Remy out of the severed hand. The brown-haired boy was unharmed, but the crash had knocked him out.

"Kathy-chan, do you see that hole? It'll lead you outside. Take Remy-kun, I'll hold back the robot." The white-haired girl gave a questioning gaze. What could a healer possibly do? "I've got other abilities. Go!" The amethyst-eyed girl got ready for battle as her friends escaped. The sentinel's sparkling circuits were showing through its cracked face, providing a more terrifying appearance. The pale girl shook her head violently. "Tomoe Hotaru, get a grip! There's no time for your stupid phobia!" She summoned her rod, but before she could activate the henshin, something arose from underneath. "KYAA!"

Outside, a large part of the wall had conveniently fallen to make a slide, and that's how Kathy and Remy got out. They had almost made it through the parking lot when the sentinel burst out of the wall with Hotaru in its hand, who'd fainted out of fear. The giant robot turned its scanners towards its prisoner.

"_Subject is not mutant. Discard and ignore._" It let the violet-haired girl drop, luckily, she fell on the aforementioned wall and rolled down, saving her life. The silent mutant felt overwhelmed with victory, she figured out the bayou dweller had managed to break something. She let her friend down and sprinted towards Hotaru, which turned into a grave mistake. "_Mutant identity confirmed. Proceed with capture_." At that very moment, the sentinel's head exploded thanks to Uranus' World shaking. Kathy took a deep breath of relief, a little too soon. Tires screeched and a black van stopped just inches away from her, and before the white-haired girl could even blink, a man jumped out and zapped her with a stun gun. Two more raced to pick up Remy and Hotaru.

"Get your filthy hands off her!!" the sand-blonde roared. An agent saw her and threw a flare, blinding the wind senshi. "Chikuso, get them Jean-san!"

"Right!" The young mutant tried to concentrate, but sharp pain stung her brain and she fell to her knees. "Arrgh!"

"What's wrong? What the hell happened?"

"I wanted to read the driver's mind and find out where they're going. But I wore myself out in there, this was too much strain." Still dizzy, Jean got up and went over to Uranus. "Come along, we need to get you to Henry."

"But what about-"

"We'll rescue them, trust me. Right now we must tend to your eyes, you won't be able to help anyone if you go blind." The redhead looked over her shoulder in the direction the villains had gone. "They'll be all right, we have to believe that."


	11. Unity 11

****

Unity

Chapter eleven:

Government offices in Manhattan, covert operations:

Although Mystique had been at Steven's new headquarters before, disguised as that elderly secretary, she hadn't learned much about the place. Why bother? All she was going to do was murder the guy, not foil a worldwide, paranormal plot.

"Had I told the X-Men and those girl-scouts I've already been there, they would've gone in without a hint of a plan, dragging me along. (sigh) Good guys are so dumb." The blue-skinned woman got to a computer and started searching through the archives. "Okay, Rogers, let's see what's so special about that property of yours." It didn't take her long to find the desired file. "Come on, you call this a security password? The ones at arcade games give me more trouble." She didn't have much time, so Mystique downloaded the plans into a disc. The metamorph then took the form of a purple-haired, goatee-wearing delivery boy and left the room. As she made her way outside, she ran into two businesswomen who were heading in the opposite direction.

"Hi Kevin," the blonde one greeted, "Working hard I hope."

"You bet," the mutant in disguise answered, "I'm not planning to lose my job."

"You're not?" the brunette questioned, "'Cause there's a document in particular that should've been at my desk hours ago."

"Right, sorry, I'll go get them immediately." Mystique had only taken a few steps when the brunette spanked and squeezed her rear tightly.

"Hurry up, or else you'll really be sorry," she purred.

"Uh, yes ma'am." Once both women were out of sight, 'Kevin' hurried to the nearest exit, which led to an alley behind the building. "It's not getting caught what frightens me, it's having to deal with these situations." Mystique stretched her neck, and when she glimpsed to the left, she caught sight of something peculiar. "Rogers? What's he doing?"

The old veteran, escorted by a pair of security agents, was having an unofficial meeting with a fortuneteller. She was born with the power of premonition, yet she wasn't a mutant, but since the customer is always right, she made no objection to him believing otherwise. He even thought the colored lines on her skin were natural and not tattoos.

"The knowledge you seek is but a step away," the young girl whispered as she dropped some painted stones on a rusty barrel, "and shall remain so if you cannot you meet my price. The same goes if you doublecross me."

"I never go back on my word, and I consider business dealings as something sacred," he replied. He could've told her that withholding vital information is a federal crime, but he was saving intimidation as a trump card. The girl nodded and moved the stones around with her long fingernail.

"Your enemies are those who hide beneath the surface." She pointed at one that had a fist painted on. "Their leader is gathering an army as we speak, the likes of which you've never seen. However, he relies on brute force alone, no strategy whatsoever." Next came a stone with an 'X'. "His only defense is secrecy, which will fall once you read the contents of this envelope." Finally, she pointed at one with a sword. "Strike hard and decisively, victory shall be yours."

"My only complaint is all these gypsy theatrics," Rogers snorted. One of the agents handed over another envelope, which contained a five-figure check, and he passed it on to the girl.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you," the fortuneteller chuckled greedily. The gray-haired man was also glad, the price he had paid was much less than planned. As he headed back inside, he saw a wino with a large dirty beard.

"(tsk) No good, welfare-sucking bums." Said bum's eyes narrowed with anger. Rogers was about to go up the steps when the tattooed girl stepped up, swinging a crystal pendant.

"As a gesture of good will, I advise you don't let yourself be fooled by her false facade." Mystique reacted immediately and pushed her way past the old veteran. Following their training, the agents reached out for her. The metamorph took care of the first one with a kick to the stomach, the other was thrown over her shoulder and slammed against the wall, this move however left her vulnerable to Rogers' taser.

"YEARRGH!!" Mystique shrieked and fainted, reverting to her bluish form.

"It's her!" the gray-haired man gasped in disbelief, "Young lady, you have given your country a great service!"

"Don't mention it, I said it was a freebie," the tattooed girl replied with a wink, "Make sure you lock her up somewhere safe." Unwilling to hear anything else she left. As the young fortuneteller walked down the streets, she pondered what she had just done. _You're gonna be sore Ms Darkholme, but trust me, I've actually put everyone on the right track._ Her expression became a sad one. _It's a shame that so many people will be hurt in the process. _She looked at the envelope in her hand, shrugged and tossed it into the trash.

*****

__

Flying usually relaxes me, Storm thought, _but it's not doing anything for me this time_. Therefore, she decided to head back home. The ebony-skinned girl turned around and was well on her way when she heard screaming from below, she looked down and managed to see people running out of a building. She dove at high speed then stopped short when a warning came to mind. "Pluto told us how dangerous this can be, a quarrel between two people could quickly involve four more, then eight and so on. Going there by myself would be suicide." Storm sighed regretfully and left, with a little luck, things wouldn't turn out so bad.

Sailor Neptune had been following her mutant friend, and she too heard the commotion. In fact, she was smack in the middle of it. At first, she too thought that it was another growing fight and decided not to intervene, then she sensed something familiar.

"Matte, that's not the demon, that's only a youma," The ocean senshi got to street level and ran inside a fast-food restaurant, there she saw a red-skinned girl made out of junk food: french-fry skirt, cheese stockings, taco shell shoulder pads, burger buns for a top, a Styrofoam cup for a hat, and ketchup and mustard containers instead of hands. "Hmm, unless I'm mistaken, its skin is the color of a hotdog, it even seems to have grill marks." The creature had already captured several people, some were trapped in melted cheese and others bound with onion rings. It saw Neptune, took aim with the straw on her hat and fired a stream of strawberry milkshake. The Japanese heroine avoided the attack, the pink liquid hit some chairs that were standing behind and froze them in a matter of seconds.

"Try our weekend special!" the youma offered with an unfittingly courteous voice and smile as it threw razor sharp nachos, the aqua-eyed senshi was barely able to hide behind a table.

"Nani, no jalapeños?" she taunted. The red-skinned youma complied, the slices were so corrosive that they started eating through the wood. "Yipe, better leave the humor to Haruka and Mina-chan. Deep submerge!" The water-based attack was very effective considering the nature of the youma, a great part of its body was getting all soggy.

"Two for one combo!" The monster multiplied and Neptune was hit by four streams of red and yellow, a harmless attack, if you don't consider the tremendous pressure. That and the slippery floor threw the aqua-eyed senshi off her feet, more embarrassing than painful. One of the junk food youma leapt and hit her on the stomach with its knee. Neptune was about to receive another blow when her opponents were hit by a thunderbolt.

"You're lucky I changed my mind," Storm said as she floated through the broken window, "Are you okay?"

"I will be," Neptune grumbled as she stood up, "as soon as I get even with those things. Deep submerge!" The weather-witch pitched in with a miniature hurricane. The monsters were blown to pieces and splattered against the wall.

"These are the youma you guys told us about?" the white-haired girl asked as she raised an eyebrow, "How can you let something so ridiculous looking give you so much trouble?"

"Hey, they can be pretty tough when they want to," the ocean senshi protested as she tried to wipe the goo off herself. "Che, this will take forever. Storm, could you summon a little rain so I can-Nani?" A black ball rolled over and came to a stop between the two, it popped loudly, scattering powder around the pair.

"Neptune! Try not to…breathe…" Too late, the toxin went into effect and they both fell unconscious. Two morlocks entered the place, one covered with mold, the other as thin as a scarecrow.

"I told you it was a good idea to wait," the latter said, "They took care of the burger chick, and we take care of them."

"Yeah, though I can't help wondering were she came from."

"Ah, who cares? Now come on, let's get to work." They went into the kitchen and came out a minute later carrying several packages, all of them quite large and heavy. The skinny one was carrying three of them with one arm, not only that, he went over to the catch-register and added it to the pile; to top it all off, he picked up both Neptune and Storm with his free arm.

"What are you taking them along for?" the moldy one asked, "We weren't the ones commissioned for that."

"No, but you can't let opportunity pass you by."

*****

Xavier's School:

"A quick trip and we'll be right back, they told me." Jean grumbled and slapped her forehead. "I'm such a fool, I should've never left the kids go off on their own."

"You had no way of foreseeing an attack by the sentinels," Henry said as he finished checking on Uranus, "blaming yourself will do no good,

"That's right," the sand-blonde agreed, "blame the kids, they're the ones who should've known better. A sale at the mall, give me a break."

"Come now, back home we're always enjoying ourselves no matter the situation," the time senshi reminded. "In fact, you're the most carefree one," she added with a playful grin. "As for the children's whereabouts, Mystique is investigating as we speak, and Xavier-sama can use his Cerebro device as soon as he's done sending the students away."

"Hai, that other institute in Ireland. It's a good precaution, keeping the kids away until this matter is resolved." The wind senshi crossed her arms and started walking in circles. "As for me, I better find something to do until Neptune returns, otherwise I'll go crazy from all this waiting." She then noticed that Logan, who'd been standing silently by the door this whole time, had just left. Unsure of her reasons, the short-haired senshi decided to follow.

"The children's capture has affected Uranus severely," the redhead noticed, "especially Hotaru's."

"She has the bad habit of taking failures as something personal," Pluto replied. She realized it was hard for her fellow senshi to pretend she had no relation with the young girl, and it was harder in Jean's presence. _I just hope Hime-chan is safe, I also hope Small Lady isn't taking this too badly_.

Rogue kept herself busy by checking the things she'd packed.

"Gloves, blouses, socks, underwear… Sweaters too, it must be cold in Muir Isle." She closed the lid on the suitcase, and just as she was about to lock it, she let her temper blow. "This is ridiculous!!" The streaked brunette hollered furiously, "Are they honestly expecting me to stay calm and leave when Remy is in grave danger!?" Chibi-Usa sat up on the bed she was lying on.

"Remy-kun?" The princess of Crystal Tokyo raised an eyebrow. "How come you mentioned his name in particular?"

"That doesn't mean anything!" the pale girl defended while blushing, "It could've been either him, Kathy or Hotaru, there's no difference."

"Aww, don't take it that way, Rogue-chan, I'm just playing a little." The pink-haired girl took a deep breath. "I feel useless, Hotaru-chan's in trouble and there's nothing I can do." She knew Setsuna well enough to realize that she would keep her out of this at all cost. "The grownups should let us do something instead of overprotecting us." She got up and stomped her foot. "By the kami, let's do something!"

"Say what?"

"We're going on a rescue mission," David announced as he and Bobby entered the room. "Drake and I have been talking about this; running away ain't my style, and he's been feeling like a pathetic loser ever since he came back from the mall."

"No, I'm not, it's you who keeps calling me that," the cold-wielder huffed, although he was being driven by guilt. "We don't have much of a plan, but we're willing to give it a shot. Are you coming?"

"You bet I am!" the ruby-eyed girl immediately responded as she took a step forward, the streaked one held her back however.

"Wait a second, have you all lost your marbles? The professor would never allow this?"

"What about the tantrum we heard a moment ago?" David questioned, "Aren't you worried about the guys?"

"Of course I am! I can't take a step without thinking whether our friends are all right!" Rogue took a deep breath. "But we have to keep a clear head. Us going out there will accomplish nothing except getting ourselves captured, maybe even killed. Have you given any thought to what the X-Men will say?"

"They're overwhelmed with this situation," Bobby explained, "They need our help, and you know they won't accept it willingly."

"And here's the chance to do so," the dark-haired boy added, "If you want to refuse, fine. In fact, I was expecting it from a wuss like you. Come on, Drake." The two teens left the room and Chibi-Usa followed, but David shoved her back before she was even at the door. "You're staying, a useless human like you will only get in the way."

"Listen baka, I'm capable of much more than you believe."

"Oh really? Go ahead, give me one example." The princess was about to answer that rude challenge when common sense arose. Grumbling, she swallowed her pride as David left with a mocking sneer.

"Sorry, Chibi-Usa," the fair-haired boy apologized, "but Dave is, well, sort of right. Without powers I'm afraid you can't help us much." Noticing her pout, he patted her head and grinned. "I'll tell Hotaru I had to encase you in ice." Bobby then turned to Rogue. "Please cover for us for as long as you can." The power drainer simply huffed.

"I promise not to talk. They'll have to read my mind in order to find out." He got the hint and hurried away.

Moving cautiously through the mansion, the two young mutants made it to the garage.

"This is it, the point of no return," Bobby said as he stood in front of the key-rack, "Are you sure about going on, Dave?"

"I wouldn't have even started if I wasn't. Now, this should be the key for-"

"A big load of trouble." They spun and saw Scott coming up to them. "What exactly are you two up to?"

"We're getting our friends back," David answered defiantly, "Remy, Kathy and Hotaru are in trouble, and you guys are much too slow to get anything done." The fair-haired boy sweat-dropped.

"For heaven's sake, Dave, don't make it worse!"

"You're worried about Giselle," the red-eyed man guessed, "I understand perfectly, if Jean were in any sort of danger I'd be climbing up the walls. But even if that were the case, I wouldn't act against the professor's wishes." He moved closer to the students and gestured for them to go back in. "I'm telling you from personal experience, there are times when we have to do what we don't want to so that everyone-Ugh!?" All of a sudden he shook and dropped on the floor.

"And I certainly didn't like doing that," Rogue quipped as she put her glove back on, keeping her eyes tightly shut. "Bobby, be a dear and get Mr. Summers' extra pair, it's in the left pocket of his jacket."

"Thanks for the help," the cold-wielder said, "Although seeing that was a quite scary. What made you change your mind?"

"Believe it or not, Chibi-Usa convinced me," she answered as she took some keys, "She made me realize that I really wanted to help you guys. Now let's hurry out of here before someone else finds out what we're up to."

Up on the roof, Sailor Chibi-Moon watched as the blue car left the garage, she waited a while and began following it.

"It'll be a bright day in Nemesis before I'm kept out of something like this," the senshi-in-training bragged. "Hold on Hotaru-chan, help is on its way."

*****

Steven's HQ:

Kathy awoke and knew right away that she was in a strange place. Instead of a soft bed and warm sheets, she was lying on a cold, hard, metal floor. She opened her eyes and saw a glare so frightening she scooted to the back of the cell. If it hadn't been for the device on her neck, a loud shriek would've been heard.

"I'm no expert, but I don't think scaring little girls is good for someone's political career," Remy mocked.

"Laugh while you can, creature," Steven's replied in a cold voice, "soon you'll have no desire at all to do so." The mousy-haired man went over to his former mentor. "I don't approve of this, Jim, these aberrations should be executed on sight."

"I agree with that principle," Rogers admitted, "but you mustn't oversee the useful applications mutants offer." They were at an underground research facility, located far beneath the offices. There, mutants were subject to investigation. "I've seen a single one of these individuals display more firepower than ten tanks, imagine if we had had such muscle during WWII."

"Biological weaponry, huh?" Stevens pondered about this as he inspected each cell. A sadistic chortle came out of him as he thought of experiments, needles, electroshocks and vivisections. The bigot came to a halt when he caught sight of Hotaru. "And this is the one who showed negative on the detector, correct?" The frail-looking girl shrunk under his excruciating gaze.

"That's what the sentinel said," a guardswoman confirmed, "and I double-checked it on our way here. Should we let her go then?"

"Negative," Rogers answered, "she already knows about this place, which makes her a liability to our security."

"Besides," Stevens added, "she's guilty of being a mutie sympathizer."

"Guilty? Since when is friendship a crime!?" the young Creole protested.

"Shut your trap, freak!" another guard scolded as he hit his knuckles with the butt of his rifle. The teenagers were finally left alone, some frightened, others furious.

"_Merde cevelle,_ Remy will teach him to mistreat his friends," the short-haired boy growled. He took hold of one of the bars and started concentrating.

"Cool it, swamp rat, there must be a thousand alarms hooked up," a familiar voice warned.

"Giselle?" Remy and Kathy peered into the cell in front of them. "It is you! How the hell did you end up here?"

"It's a long story," the emerald-haired girl responded as she leaned on the door. "We went home to pick up some stuff and saw those black-suited gorillas, they'd broken into the house and were questioning the neighbors; a couple of them were carrying guns, out in the open, as plain as the scales on my face."

"A hundred to one they were going to start firing the moment they saw you," the red-eyed boy guessed. "Then what happened?"

"I told my mom and dad that I loved them and got the hell out of there, I didn't want my parents to get shot." Giselle took a deep breath. "How ironic, if mom hadn't called after me I wouldn't have gotten caught." The silent mutant put her fingers in her mouth and gave a long whistle, thinking that the neighbors had called the authorities in the first place.

"Yeah, maybe they did, but so what? My looks were likely to get me caught sooner or later." She then noticed something amiss in her Japanese friend. "Hotaru… Hotaru, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," the pale girl lied melancholically, "nothing at all." She laid down on the cot and turned away. Kathy was going to reach out to her but Remy held her back.

"Let her be, _Cherie_, it's getting late and today has been too emotionally tiring for us all."

Stevens and Rogers reached the upper level and went separate ways, the former had to prepare another rally, while the latter made a beeline to a specially equipped jail, were he was keeping his guest of honor.

"Miss Darkholme, I'm confused, I thought you were eager to come here." Instead of answering, Mystique struggled to free herself one more time, but no matter how thin she made her arms, her bonds became tighter. "I advise resignation. As you can see, those mechanical shackles were specifically made for shape-shifters."

"Hmph, you could've said so earlier and saved me a lot of trouble," the blue-skinned woman protested. "I'm in no mood to have my time wasted, so spit it out. Surely you're here for more than just gloating."

"Very well, I'll get to the point." A lackey brought Rogers a chair, and once both antagonists were left alone, he laid out his proposal. "As you probably know, I'm not above keeping mutants at my side."

"Only those that prove to be useful," the yellow-eyed woman completed. "I can see where this is going, it's the plot from '_La Femme Nikita_', I work for you and everybody's happy." Her eyes narrowed. "What makes you think I'll agree?"

"Adequate living conditions and considerable payment," the veteran responded, "This should be attractive for someone like you, the life of a fugitive is always a difficult one."

"Oh, not at all, my income allows me to live in great comfort," the red-haired assassin replied cynically. "I may be a mercenary but I do have my principles. You can't buy me, no matter how big your offer."

"We'll see. I've met many of your high-spirited sort, and I have broken all of them, one way or another." The gray-haired man started to leave. "That conversation you were spying on an hour ago, I'm about to send troops to the underground. Perhaps a glimpse at some of the casualties should help change your mind."

"Fat chance, cretin, I'll figure my way out of here before you know it," she muttered through grinding teeth once he was gone. Mystique took a deep breath and calmed down, she was getting some very violent thoughts and she knew that wasn't good. "This is not good. I'm supposed to be helping save the world from a vibe-sucking devil, and I get caught within the first hour. (sigh) Good thing the X-Men aren't having this much trouble, otherwise we'll really be in the gutter."


	12. Unity 12

**Unity**

**Chapter twelve:**

An abandoned subway station:

"You used to live with the morlocks?" the streaked brunette asked as they followed the dusty tracks.

"Yep, for a year or so after my folks kicked me out," David answered, "Obviously, I looked like a monster before learning that I could control the growth of my claws, so I had no choice but to live down here. It was a lot of hard work, but well worth it, no one to boss you around and you could do anything you wanted."

"Dave, don't you think it's better to put up with a few rules than wondering when your next meal is going to be?" the cold-wielder questioned.

"Not all of us were lucky enough to be born in yuppie suburbia. I'll have you know-"

"Enough!" Rogue snapped, "Instead of arguing, how about letting us know what the plan is? If you even got one."

"Of course I do," the dark-haired boy huffed, "There's a guy at the colony who's absolutely amazing. Give him a name and he'll adopt that person's whole memory, it doesn't matter if he's never met or even heard of the poor sap."

"I see, we mention Jack Stevens and he'll give us his location! Sounds too good to be true," Bobby noted.

"Well, sometimes he absorbs too much too fast and becomes muddled; and if we find him sleeping, there's a chance he won't wake up in weeks."

"Then we better hope he's awake then." Rogue smelled something and stopped short. "There's smoke coming from that direction!" The teenage trio ran as fast as they could and arrived at a scene from a nightmare, everyone had been cruelly slain, not even the children were spared, and standing among them, were their killers. They hid before anyone could notice them.

"Now you see how unwise it was to refuse me," Hephaestus said with a sneer. He was holding a man that looked like a porcupine, who, in gory irony, had been skewered with his own quills. "I am the only answer for our people," the magma-skinned man claimed out loud, "no one ever forget that."

"He's totally out of his mind!" Rogue moved closer to Bobby and whispered into his ear, "Let's get out of here, we won't help anyone if we're dead."

"Agreed," the fair-haired boy replied, "Come along, Dave."

"They were my friends."

"David?"

"All of them, he just came and…g-GAAAH!!" Large bone claws literally tore through his skin. "MURDERER!!" Warned by the scream, all Hephaestus had to do was throw a fireball and leave his attacker out of commission. He caught sight of the other two.

"Capture them, alive."

"Rogue, get out of here!" Bobby reacted by firing sharp ice shards, "Who knows what an overload might do."

"You don't have to tell me twice. I'll be back with the X-Men." Rogue couldn't take one step, for a teleporter materialized in front of her.

"Pink Moon flying knee!" The morlock was hit behind the neck, Chibi Moon's fierce attack proved to be quite effective. "I knew it was a good idea to follow you guys."

"Thanks, whoever you are. KYAA!"

"YAAH!" An albino morlock took them out with an electric shock, Bobby was already down. The magma-skinned morlock stepped up to the odango-headed senshi and turned her over with his foot.

"I never expected you to fall into my hands so soon," a grin of mad satisfaction bent his lips, "My revenge is close at hand."

Xavier's school:

"I can't believe the kids did this," Sailor Pluto grumbled, thinking once more of the news Scott had given. _I'd also like to be surprised by Small Lady doing this_. She let herself fall back against the wall. "To top it all off, neither Storm, Neptune or Mystique have reported yet."

"No, and neither have Logan or Uranus," the brown-haired man added, "We shouldn't worry about those two, however, they can take care of themselves."

"So can Raven," the white-haired villain added, "I see no need for concern at all, now that Charles is done with the students' transfer, he can invest all of his time into fighting the hate-demon."

"Hai," the ruby-eyed senshi looked at the closed door that led to the Cerebro room, "Can Xavier-sama really detect any mutant in the city with this machine?"

"Throughout the world," Eric cleared out. An idea occurred to him, "Perhaps we could adapt it to detect magic-infused beings, such as the demon or yourselves."

"Hai, that should be useful." The door slid open and Charles came out, much sooner than expected.

"Any luck finding the others, Professor?" Scott asked.

"I couldn't even get started," the telepath responded tiredly, "There's a new obstacle in our way, as soon as I activated Cerebro, dark patches appeared to  block my vision."

"Dark patches?"

"Probably a result of the hate demon's influence," the older man deduced, "I tried peering into those spots, but couldn't even get near them, and each attempt took a lot out of me."

"That means Cerebro is completely useless to us," the time senshi sighed as she slid her hand down her face, Hotaru's capture and Chibi-Usa's disappearance were affecting her more than she expected. "Let's go back upstairs and try to think of something else."

Henry and Jean were waiting at the meeting room, her foot was tapping at 80 beats per minute.

"Now what?" the X-Man leader huffed.

"I received a call for you, Professor," the redhead informed, trying to remain as serene as possible, "It was Stevens, he wants to meet you for a public debate tomorrow." Everyone's eyes went wide open.

"Xavier-sama, you must decline! It's the perfect scenario for an assassination."

"It's much too obvious, Stevens is smart enough to know that such a radical plan would backfire on him," the white-haired man countered, "Then again, he's not exactly thinking for himself."

"On the other hand," the blue-furred one interjected, "not going could be misinterpreted out of proportion, ending up with the school being exposed." He crossed his arms and sat down on the desk. "There is a way out of this, we only have to examine the situation thoroughly."

"Perhaps we could turn our enemy's plan into our favor," Charles said after a while, "While assisting this debate may endanger my life, it also places me in an excellent position to strike at our demonic invader." Everyone pondered and realized it was true, after all, Stevens seemed to have a direct connection with the hate-demon.

"You're taking a big risk, Charles," his old friend reminded.

"Not while everyone's around to keep an eye out for traps," Jean assured.

"Not everyone," Pluto said, "I'm going out there to look for the children, if we wait any longer it might be too late."

"I'll go with you," Henry offered, "I have a few ideas of where the kids might've gone to." They started planning and organizing their strategies, when odds become dire and many, the next mistake can be final.

Brooklyn:

"As soon as I get back to Japan, I'm asking Setsuna-san and Ami-chan to work on something that hides the smell," Haruka said, "I should've thought of this when Usagi-chan told me how she recognized my cologne." She tried taking off the sunglasses, her eyes still hurt a little. "Where are we going anyway?"

"I discovered what seems to be one of Stevens' recruitment houses," the feral man answered, "one that reports directly to the main headquarters."

"Why not tell Scott-kun and the others?"

"I don't know for certain, and we can't waste time on wild goose chases."

"So why bring me?"

"Bring you? You're the one who came along. Which might turn out to be a good thing." Logan stopped the jeep in front of an old brick building. "You remember the mutation radar those robots have? Well, there's a good chance this place is equipped with them too, which makes it impossible for me to enter."

"But it doesn't work on magic," the tall girl guessed, "It won't be that easy though, I can't just walk in and ask for a membership." She leaned on the dashboard and started thinking. She caught sight of a boutique at the end of the block. "Logan-san, let's go shopping."

"Hey Stan, wanna enter the poll?"

"What poll?" The young man with green hair laid a notebook on the table.

"For the new weapon everyone's talking about." There were still some who didn't know about the sentinels. "I can put you down for either guns, thanks, suits…"

"I'll go with fifty bucks on rifles," the older man wagered.

"Okay," the younger one wrote down the number and name, "Fifty on guns.

"No, not guns, rifles, there's a difference."

"What difference? One's bigger than the other, that's all."

"Uh-uh, there's also caliber, range, weight, speed and recoil. It's like comparing a Boxer to a Chihuahua."

"You call that a good example? Just yesterday I saw a Doberman screwing a Spaniel." Suddenly, they heard a loud noise coming from outside, accompanied by a woman's scream. Both men raced to the backdoor and opened it; among the trash cans they saw a sand-blonde girl in leather shorts and a tied up blouse on the floor, and looming above her was the scariest-looking man they'd ever seen. His animalistic growl and razor claws were all the incentive they needed to start firing. The dark-haired mutant roared furiously, then escaped as fast as he could.

"The nerve of that freak!" He turned to his green-haired pal, "Get her inside, quickly!"

Shortly afterwards, Haruka was sitting on a chair, her jittery hands held a cup of coffee.

"Arigato." She took a sip. "Damn gun control. How's someone supposed to feel safe? And damn those mutants! If I had my way, I would… Arrgh!"

"Easy now," Stan said as he put his hand on her shoulder, "you're safe here, and as soon as Stevens is elected, so will the streets."

"Hai. You guys support him?" the racer asked.

"More than that," the green-haired one answered, "this is one of his campaign offices. Wanna join?"

"You bet I do! But, umm, between you and I, I'd like to know how I can make a bigger difference." Haruka ran her thumb across her neck. "Get it?"

"No problem, we happen to be part of-"

"Hush!" the older man snapped, "There's a cot in the other room. Why don't you rest for a while, and we'll talk about this later."

"Okay, I will." Haruka went into the room, closed the door and burst out laughing, not too loudly. "Suckers! How can they allow a pretty face to make them so gullible?" She sat down and turned on her communicator. "Logan-san, do you copy?"

"_Loud and clear.__ How'd it go?_"

"Worked like a charm! Mina-chan would've been so jealous of our performance." The shorthaired girl rubbed her cheek. "I'm having second thoughts about getting real bruises though."

"_Don't blame me, I tried to warn you, I'm no good at pulling back punches, yet you insisted on authenticity. Now, remember the plan, manipulate them into taking you to meet Stevens, then I'll contact the others and we'll storm the place. Stay in touch, rookie."_

"10-4, old man, Haruka out."

Logan couldn't help feeling a little ridiculous when he turned off the pink gizmo.

"Funny, I don't recall Hello Kitty™ having a moon on her forehead."

Hephaestus' colony:

"Hmm, nani?" The future princess opened her eyes slowly. "Neptune? Storm? Where are we?" She scanned her surroundings and saw that they were all in a dark, damp room, chained against the wall.

"Down in the gutter, and I mean it literally," the ocean senshi answered, "How did they get their hands on you kids? Did something happen at the school?"

"No, we got this bright idea that we could rescue our friends and ended up here," the pale girl answered in embarrassment, "Have you two figured out how to get out of here?"

"There must be over a hundred morlocks surrounding us, so fighting's out of the question," the weather witch informed, "That grating might take us to a tunnel, and I'll be able to handle it if it leads to an exit. But first we have to get out of these chains."

"Maybe Bobby-kun can freeze them," the pink-haired senshi suggested eagerly, "Is it possible?"

"I'd have to reach absolute zero, something I've never tried before, my arm could crystallize and break off." He turned to David, but his dark-haired had worn himself out by struggling against his bonds, and all he could do now was grumble. Suddenly, the rusty door creaked open and the morlock leader entered.

"You must be wondering why I brought you here, instead of killing you on the spot, like all surface-dwellers deserve."

"You want to gloat and reveal all of your secret plans," the odango-headed senshi mocked, "At least that's what villains do in movies."

"Hilarious." Hephaestus went up to the senshi. "I'm not sure which one, but I know that one of you possesses something I want." He turned away. "As for the rest, I plan to follow the example of nobles in the middle ages, the rebels they captured were dismembered and their pieces scattered across the land." Needless to say, his prisoners were becoming terrified. "People will learn that morlock is a name to be feared."

"I'll show you the meaning of fear," David growled, "Come on! Let's see if you can take on someone who can fight back! Get these fucking chains off me so I can rip your lungs out!!" Storm and Neptune shared worried glances, the demon was getting to him.

"You will be the first, traitor!" the magma-skinned dictator roared as his blue flames grew larger, "You think you're better than us, living up there with your appearance!"

"Blah, blah, blah, you're all talk," Rogue taunted, "Your bravado and threatening may work down here, but I'll bet you've got as much heat as a wet match." Hephaestus turned his head slowly, she was the sort of person he hated the most, young, pretty and accepted. He went over to the streaked brunette, stared into her eyes, and pressed his finger against her chest. He burned through the fabric in a second. "YEAARGH!"

"Oni!!" Neptune cried, "How can you be so cruel!? She's only a child!"

"You'll get your turn," Hephaestus roared, turning away from Rogue, "First, this child must learn the price of insolence-Ugh!" A left jab, right on the jaw.

"Here's an expression you can use: know your enemy," the power drainer chuckled as she held a flaming fist. She didn't give him a chance to recover, she ran up and grabbed his wrists to weaken him further, the magma-skinned morlock managed to kick her away, but Rogue threw a fireball that blasted him through the door.

"Awesome, Rogue-chan!" Chibi Moon praised as the pale mutant hurried to free them, "I never would've come up with a plan like that in a million years."

"It's a good thing it worked, that burning hurt like-Hey!" No sooner was David cut loose, he barged out of the room, ready to slash anyone who got in his way. "Damn it, that idiot's going to ruin everything!"

"We'll get him back," Storm said, "You kids go into the grating and find your way back to the school."

"No way!" the cold-wielder snapped, "You'll never make it on your own, you need our help." The ebony-skinned girl knew this was true, she also knew the students weren't ready for a battle this big, but this was no time to argue.

"Okay, we get David and leave. Come on!" Storm and Neptune led the assault, clearing a path with their powers. It was easy to find the clawed boy, he went up against everyone who got in his way.

"Chikuso, he's going to be our main obstacle," the aqua-eyed senshi cursed, "Chibi Moon, get ready, there's a chance you'll have to use the Lunar Kaleidoscope on David-kun."

"Hai, just keep everyone else of my back. Nani?" She felt a shadow overhead, the future princess spun to see the morlock leader about to land on top of her. Fortunately, Bobby blew him away with an icy blast.

"I'll handle Hephaestus," Rogue shouted, "You go get David." The magma-skinned mutant tried to pummel her with the combo that had earned him the leadership tournament, the streaked brunette blocked every blow.

"What? It took months to perfect that move. How could you possibly counter it!?"

"I have both your powers and knowledge, (chuckle) you made your own worst enemy."

Bobby knew the only way to assure their already improbable victory was to keep reinforcements from arriving. He ran up to the entrance tunnel and sealed it with an ice wall, nearly ten feet thick.

"That should do it, unless there's another pyrokinetic in the group." He fell to one knee, that stunt had exhausted him.

"Are you all right, Bobby-kun?" the ruby-eyed senshi asked concernedly.

"I'll rest when it's over." He glanced in his friend's direction, the clawed boy was too immersed in his anger to listen. "If I get any closer, he'll probably slice me in half. Sorry, Dave, it's gotta be done the hard way." Bobby froze the floor, causing most to slip and fall. "Can you handle the rest?"

"No problem." Chibi Moon took out a small black key-chain that grew to the size of a volleyball, she spun it on her finger and threw it at the mob. "Luna-P, sleeping gas!" They all dropped like flies.

"Wow, that was a smart move," Bobby admitted.

"Naturally. You still think I'm useless?"

"Chibi Moon and Bobby got David," Storm noted, "now to get out of here."

"How? We're completely surrounded," the wavy-haired senshi pointed out, "To make matters worse, our escape route's been blocked." She moved to avoid a blow from the scrawny morlock, his fist cracked the floor open! Before the scarecrow could make another move, someone glued him down.

"What? You-Hmph!" The last glob hit his mouth.

"You talk too much anyway."

"You're the one we helped the other day!" the ebony-skinned girl remembered, "Gus, right?"

"That's right, and I'm not the only one lending a hand." The two heroines scanned the battlefield, indeed, a lot of morlocks were aiding both them and the children. "We've been meaning to stand up against Hephaestus, he's gone crazy, but none of us had the nerve until you guys took action."

"Don't thank us yet," Neptune warned, "If things don't improve, all we did was dig you an early grave." The situation did not improve, all the contrary, it got worse, starting with an explosion that rocked the entire chamber.

"Ungh…" Although Rogue's eyes stung from the blood, she still managed to see Hephaestus lying unconscious. "That's the good news, and the bad…" Turning her head made her whole body ache, and she immediately regretted doing so. A uniformed platoon, armed to the teeth, became visible through the smoke.

"Attack," Rogers ordered. Only one word could describe what happened next: insanity. The troops fired without a second thought or a hint of remorse, those who escaped the laser beams were reached by grenades. "Cease fire, their numbers have decreased enough. Set your weapons on stun and proceed to capture the survivors." There weren't that many left anyway, so the cowardly deed was completed with shameful ease.

"I hear movement behind that pile of rubble, Sir, probably more mutants. Should we detain them as well?"

"No, we can only carry so many prisoners." The old veteran looked around, in his own mind, he was proud for having eradicated this threat. "My country is now safer, I've done the right thing."

Stevens HQ, 5:00 a.m.:

"Wake up, you sorry slobs! You're not gonna spend the whole day sleeping you know." Kathy grumbled, cold and fear had kept her up through an awful night, she'd only slept for ten minutes when the guard started hollering. The silent girl rubbed her eyes and glimpsed into the cell in front of hers, Giselle's. She saw something that shocked her, quickly, she started banging frantically against the bars.

"Hmm, for Pete's sake, Kathy!" the reptilian girl huffed, "It's bad enough with that jerk-Eek!"

"_Mon deu!_, Giselle, what happened to you!?" The yellow-eyed girl's skin was all yellowish .

"Don't worry," Giselle assured after calming down. She rubbed her arm, it felt awfully dry. "This has happened before, I'll be fine in a couple of minutes." She then noticed that her Japanese friend was still lying down, surrounded by an aura of depression. "What's troubling you, Hotaru?" There was no reply.

"She's saddened," Jennifer sensed, "unhealthily so, it has something to do with her healing ability." The morlock child closed her eyes and concentrated. "Goodness! Hotaru, are you really that powerful!?"

"Hai," the pale girl's voice was barely a whisper.

"Umm, Hotaru, _cherie_." The bayou-dweller wasn't much good at applying tact, yet he had to try. "If there's something you haven't told us about your mutation, we'll understand."

"Didn't you hear what that machine said? I'm not a mutant."

"That's ridiculous. How else could you do that stuff?" Giselle questioned, "Even if there was another reason, so what?"

"I found another place where I don't belong, that's what!" the violet-haired girl cried, "When I met you at the school, I thought I had finally met people who could understand me, people I could understand, I thought I had found the answer to who I am. It all turned out to be a lie! One I told to fool myself." The frail girl scooted into a corner. "Just leave me alone, it's how I've always been and how I always will be." Remy was going to say something, but shut his mouth before putting his foot into it; Jennifer wanted to comfort her newfound friend, but nothing came to mind; Kathy was on the other side of the room, so she couldn't even give Hotaru a pat on her back; only Giselle knew precisely which words to use.

"You know something, Hotaru? You're the greediest, most spoiled bitch I've ever met."

"Nani!?"

"Aren't you aware of how lucky you are? You're beautiful, smart and kind. Three of the most amazing people in the world form your family, you have half a dozen friends who care about you, and make new ones with great ease. What more do you want?" Hotaru was too stunned to reply. "You're looking for complete happiness? News-flash, honey, there ain't such thing. You may insist if you like, but that'll only guarantee a miserable life, which, now that I think about it, is probably what you deserve!" Giselle snorted loudly and turned away. "You have so much, and you still complain."

"Giselle-chan, I…" Hotaru lowered her head in shame. She'd been tormenting herself with unfounded fears, while purposely ignoring the hardships the young mutants had suffered. "Hai, you're absolutely right. I have no right to claim maturity if I play the victim at every setback." She stood up decisively. "It's high time I started growing up!"

"Okay, you little monsters," the guard shouted as he barged in, carrying five Styrofoam trays, "Here's your chow, it's all you're getting, so don't complain and-Huh? What happened here!?" One of the cells was open, the titanium bars laid scattered across the floor.

"We're leaving," a voice from behind announced, he spun and saw Sailor Saturn. The soldier tried to shoot her, but one swipe of the glaive cleaved his rifle in half. "Go to sleep!" She planted her weapon on the floor and kicked him on the head. The next thing she did was free her friends, cutting through the bars like twigs.

"You must be kidding me!" Remy claimed, "All this time, you were the one who saved us at Central Park?"

"Gomen, I had to keep my identity a secret. Please understand."

"I can't, since we've only just met," the orange-skinned girl replied, "but I'm sure you had valid reasons." Kathy was at the door, snapping her fingers, either they moved or their escape was going to be foiled before it could even get started. Just before leaving, the silent senshi took the reptilian girl's hand.

"Arigato, Giselle-chan, I really needed to have my eyes open."

"Save your thanks for my mom, she's the wise one." They shared a quick hug and got away from there. The teenagers felt ready to face and conquer any challenge, and the ones about to come were going to be the biggest ones yet.


	13. Unity 13

**Unity**

**Chapter thirteen:**

Stevens' H.Q.:

"If you're in a trap made for a metamorph, then don't think like a metamorph," Mystique told herself as she left her cell. She edged towards the door. "Now I've got to knock out the guards, disguise like one of them, find my way to the communications room and radio the X-Men." The yellow-eyed woman peered outside the door and was surprised to discover that someone had already taken care of the guards, even more when she saw who'd done it. "How the hell did you kids get here?" The five teenagers looked up.

"Well now, had Remy known you were the one here, he would've skipped this place entirely."

"Avoid a woman who wears no clothes at all?" Giselle, whose skin looked drier, asked teasingly, "That's hard to believe coming from you."

"Knock it off, you two," the silent senshi scolded. "I'm aware of who she is, but we need all the help we can get." Saturn went up to Mystique. "Gomen, we must skip introductions. Could you please lead us to the exit?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you, kid." _Not that I'd want to anyway._ "I did manage to study a map of this place before being captured, so I have a slight idea of where I want to go; but I've got things to do here in the complex, I'm not leaving yet."

"Doesn't matter, it'll be safer to go with someone who knows the place rather than walking around aimlessly," Jenny spoke up, "Plus, we can use her fighting skills, Mystique is somewhat of a legend back at the colony."

"Well, aren't you the sweet-talker. Fine, you kids may come along, but you're looking after yourselves, don't expect me to save your necks if you get into hot water."

"Worry not, we can fend on your own," the red-eyed teen replied, "Remy might even get the chance to rescue you from distress." The guards they'd beaten had been playing poker, and Remy was putting the deck into his pockets. Kathy came up and questioned him with her gaze. "Ammunition, the cards are lightweight, quick to charge, plenty, and should travel a fair distance when thrown." The silent mutant crooked an eyebrow and gave a 'so-so' gesture, she didn't consider throwing cards to be a good image.

"Are we all set?" Saturn finally asked, "We're likely to be recaptured if we stay any longer."

"In a minute, there's something I need to do first," Giselle answered.

"Must it involve removing your clothes?" the orange-skinned girl asked. A blouse landed on her face.

"Yes, it does, wait here." The reptilian mutant went into the empty cell, the rest were puzzled, but began to wait all the same. Mystique was standing close to Saturn, and decided to engage in small talk.

"That's a nice-looking spear," she started, "Do you know how to use it?"

"It's a glaive," the amethyst-eyed senshi corrected. "Hai, though I won't use it the way you might expect."

"Is that supposed to mean anything?"

"There are more civilized ways of reaching your goals than murder."

"Don't talk to me as if I were some crazed lunatic!" the redhead metamorph protested, "There's a purpose behind my actions. Do you really think I kill people simply because I enjoy it?"

"Gomen, I should've been more sensitive, especially considering my reputation. But if you disapprove of it yourself, why keep acting the way you do?"

"Because I'm tired of hiding all the time." The blue-skinned woman took a deep breath. "Professor Xavier and the X-Men have the right idea, but they're too innocent if they expect to get anywhere through talking. Mankind's too blunt to listen to reason, the only choice left is straightforward action."

"Even if it costs you your soul?" Saturn inquired. Mystique merely shrugged.

"The way I see it, these kids win while I'm the only one getting condemned, a fair enough trade. By the way, what sort of a reputation do you have?"

"You'd laugh if I'd told you," the senshi of destruction chuckled as she checked her own petit form.

"Okay, I'm all set," Giselle called as she stepped into the room. Everyone turned and their jaws dropped, especially Remy's. The reptilian girl peeled of the last bit of dry skin off her arm and struck a pose. "I wasn't sure about coming out in my underwear, but black and green make a bitching combination, don't you agree?"

"Giselle! You look…" Jenny searched for the proper word. "Like a jewel!" Indeed, after molting, Giselle was comparable to a polished emerald.

"Thanks. Now come on, let's see if Mystique and I can make others drool besides the swamp rat."

"Remy resents that."

Manhattan, at a public plaza:

"Fix that curtain. Check the sound. Is mike 2 working? Keep those people away from the stage." The director in charge of this televised debate was walking around so fast and giving out so many orders that there seemed to be five of him at once. He'd been in this business for years and had a perfect control record; not once had a riot begun under his watch, no matter how controversial the subject. He didn't know as much about the situation as Professor Xavier or the X-Men did, and even so, it would've made no difference in his professionalism.

Michael was looking over and reading his notes out loud, the best answers to the most likely to be asked questions.

"Sir, if I may," the majordomo spoke up, "I was under the impression that you wanted to wait until your political career was more advanced before having this debate with Charles Xavier."

"Mike, sometimes you simply have to rush ahead," the mousy-haired man replied, "No one has been able to prove it, but I know that cue ball is a mutie. Why else would he speak so strongly on their behalf?" He checked his watch. "If I expose him here, he's done for, him and that freak show he calls a school."

"It is a good plan, Sir," the blue-haired man admitted, with a trace of doubt in his tone. "How will you bring your enemy to exposure?"

"You'll see, it's going to be one hell of a surprise." The sadistic chuckle made Michael edge away involuntarily, the man he served was definitely changing. He turned toward the audience and caught sight of a man wearing red sunglasses, he'd seen him arrive with Xavier, along with two others.

"I wish you luck with your plan, Sir." _Although I do believe you're not the only one with a plot_.

Scott was keeping an eye out for anything, he was the one closest to the stage where Stevens and Charles would hold the debate.

"This has been reduced to a waiting game," the young man said to himself, "Stevens, or rather the hate-demon, is bound to make his berserk move at any moment; while the professor awaits the right time in order to strike at our enemy. Just like in a western." He crossed his arms and grumbled. "And I've always hated those." _If only we had him coordinating us, but the professor's keeping his mind closed out of precaution_. _Hmm, then again, I suppose it's best_ for _him to save his strength for when the time comes_. The brown-haired mutant took out his communicator, which was disguised as a cell-phone. "Setsuna, do you see anyone suspicious?"

"Ie, Scott-kun, this side is clear." The mocha-skinned woman would much rather be looking for Chibi-Usa and Hotaru; but being a logical person, she understood that Jean was best fitted for the search, while her own power was more useful in a potential confrontation. "I must admit, security here has done a good job keeping the radicals away. There are plenty of Stevens' followers here, but no extremists. It doesn't seem as though we'll have any violence in the immediate area." She switched channels. "Magnus-san, how does it look on the outside?"

"Hectic, to say the least." Dressed in a trench coat, he'd taken position at the farthest side of the square, which was practically a picket sign jungle. Most of the people there were against mutants, throwing insults that became lost among all the shouting, and the ones in favor of equality were no better. The white-haired villain longed to break the truce and snuff out the former group. _At times like this I wonder_, he thought to himself. _Where and when did I develop this sense of honor?_ "If any of those black giants you've described should appear, it's bound to be here."

"_Let's not be swayed by appearances_," Setsuna replied, "_You should know after working with Mystique_." A loud murmur was heard in the background. "_They're starting_."

The moderator presented the first question.

"Tell us, Professor Xavier, in you own words: What make mutants dangerous?"

"Because we're not being hard enough on those freaks," the mousy-haired man butted in, "We're allowing them to get away with whatever they please." Ill-based applause erupted. This outburst worried Charles; he knew that, up until a few days ago, Jack Stevens would never behave inappropriately, regardless his conviction. This meant that his opponent's condition was becoming worse. After waiting a few minutes for the audience to calm down, the telepath retook his turn to speak.

"The reason mutants are dangerous, or any other person for that matter, is fear of persecution and the feeling of weakness it provokes."

"You're calling mutants weak?" the bigot huffed, "Don't you watch the news, all the destruction they're responsible of?"

"The sensation of being alone against the world is overwhelming. Countless acts of violence are committed each day because of choices, preferences, religion, even the color of one's skin. A quick and simplistic logic is 'to hurt them before they hurt me', which explains why so many children carry firearms to school nowadays." Charles continued. "Leave a mutant child unattended, without rules and limits, nothing will keep him from doing whatever comes to mind, often with damaging results."

"Thank you, Professor." The moderator turned to his left. "Mr. Stevens, what is the best way for these teenagers to learn responsibility?" The possessed man glimpsed at his watch before answering.

"You can't teach someone to use a weapon responsibly, without teaching him how to use the weapon in the first place, there lies the trap this so-called teacher is trying to lure us into." Charles' allies, Eric included, frowned at this insinuation. Their friend was anything but treacherous. "Weakness exists for a reason, a shift in power and everything is thrown off-balance…" His eyes narrowed. "And I believe in balance." Suddenly, Stevens noticed that something was amiss. No one was moving, and except for the breeze, everything was in absolute silence. He looked towards the audience, everyone was frozen in place. "What the hell is going on here?"

"A trick I've learned, works wonders during rush hour," Charles quipped. "And my friend Eric is keeping the signal from being transmitted, we have no witnesses."

"Witnesses?"

"Sometimes it's safer to keep people in ignorance," Sailor Pluto explained as she came into view. "The true power behind this war must never be known."

"Whether you or somebody else is the mastermind," Scott said as he adjusted his visor, "This is when we find out." Stevens gritted his teeth and backed away shakily.

"I knew it. I knew you freaks couldn't be trusted!" he hollered. "Go ahead then, do your worst! You're all dead anyway!"

"Freeze!" the red-eyed mutant ordered. "One false move and you're out for a week." The madman snickered in response.

"Fool, didn't you notice I checked the time? I started my move ages ago."

"Nani?" A tremor was felt, then another, then more until there was a total of ten. The emerald-haired senshi looked up and her eyes widened in shock. "By the kami!"

"EEEK!" A woman shrieked and the people went into pandemonium. Frightened by the giant machines, Charles had unwittingly released them. He tried to calm them down, but the panic made it too difficult, he could only take care of a few at a time. Meanwhile, Cyclops and Pluto rushed over to fight the machines.

"Sir, are you mad?" Michael hollered as soon as he became aware of the situation, "You'll cause a massacre!"

"Can't you see this is a win-win situation?" Stevens cackled, "The freaks will get all the blame, and should Xavier die, his followers will raise hell to avenge him. On the other hand, should there be civilian casualties, then they'll begin to distrust us and all forms of authority, which is certain to escalate into anarchy."

"You idiot! Do you even realize what you're saying!" the blue-haired man roared as he grabbed his employer by his coat, "You're no leader, you're nothing but a lunatic—Ugh!" He received a fierce hook to the stomach.

"Can't you see, young fool, that your leader is no longer here?" The bigot's voice was no longer human. "He became my toy the moment I found him." Out of the corner of his eye, Stevens' saw a sentinel convulse and explode, and when he looked up he saw the reason.

Hovering above the mass, Magneto proved worth to his name, a simple gesture and another robot was crushed like a tin can.

"This couldn't be any easier," the mutant villain bragged as he floated towards the stage, dismantling a third robot. "I assume by your goofy expression that I wasn't expected."

"You? Helping humans?" Stevens frowned. "It seems weakness was not the reason after all. No matter, there is more than one way to skin—" Suddenly he went silent, his eyes went blank and he froze utterly. Perplexed, the master of magnetism turned his head and saw his old friend in deep concentration.

"It's your turf, Charles, but do be careful."

Jack Stevens' mind:

Charles stood before a frightening spectacle. He saw Jack Stevens, bound within the claws of a three horned, dark-skinned demon with torn, leathery wings.

"So this is the face of hatred," the telepath said, "even more monstrous than I ever imagined."

"Mock me all you want, mortal, you've been playing the part I wrote for you to the letter."

"My part?"

"Oh yes. You see, when I was awakened by your friend, Eric, I immediately tried to take control of him, such delectable intolerance and spite he holds. I couldn't take over his soul, but I was able to read his mind, which allowed me to learn about you, Professor Xavier." A pair of spiny tentacles extended from its shoulders and pinned Charles to the ground. "A telepath of astounding power, able to reach every corner of the world. With you in my hands, nothing will stop me!"

"Nothing but your own arrogance." Charles gripped his bonds firmly, gave a mighty pull, and flung his opponent over his head, slamming him against the ground! The hate-demon was absolutely taken by surprise. "We are no longer in the physical world. Just as you implied, in this plane, my strength is enormously increased."

"So it is." The dark-skinned demon fired beams from its eyes, Charles swiftly avoided the blasts as he moved closer to his enemy. Once he got close enough, right at its feet, he grabbed the extra limbs that were holding the real Stevens and started pulling.

"You will use this man no longer." Using all he had, the telepath tore away the bony arms, freeing the mousy-haired man. Roaring in pain, the hate-demon swatted both of them away. Bloodied, Charles stood up again. "Now, to take care of you." A moment's concentration was enough to send an energy wave that flung the monster back several yards.

"My turn." The hate-demon sent a wave of its own, Charles was barely able to hold against it, yet he managed to keep himself and Stevens unharmed. "You are stronger than I expected, Charles Xavier, perhaps it should be wiser to get the other one first." It started vanishing. "You may keep that wretch, he was but a tool, not my vessel." The three-horned demon disappeared before Charles could question it.

"The other one," the mutant telepath pondered.

Back in the real world, Magneto was nearly done with the sentinels; Cyclops and Pluto still had plenty to do, taking care that none of the debris fell upon the fleeing crowd.

"That baka almost crushed us a couple of times!" the time senshi complained. "Couldn't he try to be a little more mindful about the ones below him?"

"He doesn't even care," the X-man leader replied, "The only things in his mind are his own goals, it doesn't matter whether or who is affected." An optic-blast blew a falling hand to smithereens. "Friend or foe."

"Sounds too much like me." The ruby-eyed senshi muttered sourly. A frigid wind hit them suddenly, they spun and saw a black cloud coming out of Stevens' unconscious body. It grew so large it blocked out the sun, took a bestial shape and took off, filling the air with an unholy sound. Everyone at the plaza was filled with dread like never before.

"Professor!" Cyclops rushed to his mentor's aid as soon as he regained composure. "Professor, are you okay?"

"Yes, Scott, I'm still in one piece." The telepath was exhausted, and had actually been bruised as a result of his mental combat. He gave a short chuckle. "It's been a while since I've had my share of the action."

"Sir!" The three heroes turned towards Michael, who was desperately trying to awake his boss. "Come on, Jack, say something!" He saw the X-Men plus Pluto approaching and quickly drew a gun out of his jacket. "Keep away! What did you do to him! What?" The weapon was yanked out of his hand.

"Charles saved your leader's life," Magneto answered as he landed, "Whether you wish to believe it or not."

"I don't know what to believe. That thing inside him, was it a ghost or a mutant?" Michael let himself drop on the floor and dragged his hand over his face. He looked upon the chaotic scene, there had been no casualties, but many people had been severely hurt, and all had a look of absolute terror in their eyes. "The Jack Stevens I've worked for all these years would've never allowed this. He's passionate, but believed in order above everything else."

"Unless you help us," Pluto started, "The whole city will end up in a worse state. Forget what each of us thinks, you followed Stevens because you wanted to do the right thing, and right now, the right thing is to help us." The blue-haired man looked at each of them a long time. They sounded earnest but…

"I haven't changed my opinion about your kind, furthermore, you're asking me to commit treason." He took a deep breath. "But that murderous creature, whatever it was, must be stopped. Go south down Carlton road until you reach the fifth exit, that's where you'll find our base of operations. But I'm warning you, the personnel is heavily armed."

"If you knew these fellows like I do, you wouldn't have given us such a warning," the white-haired villain replied.

"Now we've got somewhere to go," Cyclops said, with the feeling of victory in his grasp. "Let's go!"

Hephaestus' colony, remains:

Grunting, Neptune and Gus removed one more large rock.

"I think I felt a gust of fresh air there," the gooey morlock commented, "That's good news, it means we won't suffocate."

"Good to know," the ocean senshi replied. She looked down towards Storm. The ebon-skinned girl was taking a short break, actually, she'd already taken several. And all that deep breathing didn't bode well.

"Okay, enough resting!" she announced as she got to her feet, "Back to work!" Gus made her sit down again though.

"Look, it's obvious you're not well. Just sit back and let us do this. There's not much left to do anyway."

"I can handle it," Storm assured, "I've been in tighter places and survived." She began digging through the rubble. "It doesn't shame me to admit I'm scared. Quite frankly, I want to get down on my knees and cry; but there are people out there who need me, and you guys need me here as well. I'm helping." Gus stood there silently a short while, watching Storm and Neptune work.

"You're really something, you know that?"

"Hai, we know. But leave the girl watching for another day, Gus-san," the aqua-eyed one scolded.

"It's not that. I just…" The morlock sat down. "Down here it's every man for himself. We do work together, couldn't have survived otherwise, but most people here don't really care for one another." He gave a sad sigh. "Cloud and Jenny cared, well, he cared for his sister, while she cared for everyone." Gus' fist tightened. "She knew it from the start! She knew there was something wrong and tried to warn us! And did we listen? No! We were too anxious to get even to do so." His head dropped in defeat. "None of us cared enough to listen."

"Gus-san." Neptune stepped closer. "You know, you don't sound like an uncaring person at all, all the contrary, I think you didn't listen because you cared too much."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You've seen the youngest one among us, Sailor Chibi Moon, ne? Well, when Uranus and I first met her, we considered her to be too young to know what was good for her; we just did what we thought was best, and not until it was too late that we realized she knew better."

"We've had similar experiences with our students," the weather-witch added as she approached. "You may blame yourself for acting foolishly, but don't lie to yourself by saying you're uncaring." Gus wasn't expecting such encouragement, especially not from people who, only a few days ago, where his enemies."

"Thank you." Just then, the stones covering the exit started to shake! The trio darted away from the tumbling rocks, once it was over, a female figure emerged from the dust cloud.

"Ororo? Neptune? Are you guys okay?"

"Jean-san! By the kami, are we glad to see you!"

"No gladder than I am," the redhead replied. "And, umm…who's your new friend?" The gooey morlock was holding on to Storm, he let go as soon as he realized what he was doing.

"Sorry, got a little startled, is all."

"Don't worry about it," the white-haired heroine grumbled as she tried wiping off the blue goop. "Were you able to avoid the platoon on your way here?"

"We did cross paths," Beast answered as he came into view, "Luckily, they were too busy to pay attention to their surroundings."

"Too busy carrying the children, you mean," Neptune guessed. The blue-furred man nodded silently. "And the two of you trying to rescue them would've been foolhardy. Blast it, if only we knew where they've taken them!"

"That we do know," the blue-furred man said, "I received a call from Cyclops and the others, they've got an address and have the Blackbird on standby."

"What are we waiting for? Let's get a move on!" Storm shouted. She then looked back. "Sorry, Gus, but—"

"I know, gotta leave this to the pros." Even so, the morlock tried coming up with an excuse to accompany them, none came to mind. "I've got a place to go, so don't worry about me, just concentrate on taking care of yourselves. Oh, and if you find Jenny…you know."

"We understand. She'll be well taken care of," Beast promised.

"Wow, this place of yours is in the middle of nowhere," Haruka told the driver. "How much further until we get there?"

"Not that far, it's always closer than it seems." Under normal circumstances, the shorthaired racer would've never gotten this far in just one day, she had to, shall we say, charm her way in. "I'm telling you, last night was fantastic. You've got a lot of skill."

"Umm, arigato, but please, try not to let it around."

"Why?" the green-haired youth asked, "It was awesome. And three times straight I might add."

"It would ruin my image," the sand-blonde explained, "I want to keep this in the closet, so if you don't mind…"

"All right, all right, I promise never to talk about last night." Something in the rear-view mirror caught the young man's attention. "That's odd, I thought I saw someone following us."

"I don't see anyone." Haruka leaned out the window and took a good look. She had to admit, Logan was pretty good at tailing people. "Maybe it was a shadow and you thought it was something else, happens to me from time to time. Hey, is that it?"

Outside it looked like an ordinary country house, and the inside was pretty normal as well. Two guys were at the living room playing a flight simulator, it was all they had to do until new orders were received.

"I gotta tell ya, Frank, this isn't what I expected when I was assigned as commander of this outfit."

"I hear you, I joined these covert team because I wanted action, not wasting my time with videogames. Even if I am kicking your ass each time."

"Shut up, I'm just going easy on you."

"If you wanna kill time," a voice from behind called, "then join us for a little target practice." The commander and Frank turned and saw a buzzcut redhead carrying a plasma rifle.

"Are you nuts?" the former asked, "All of this is inventoried."

"Come on, who's gonna miss one? Besides, they use batteries, not ammo, all we have to do is recharge 'em and put 'em back in."

"Well…" The commander thought about it for a moment. "What the hell, why not? I think I saw a deer out the window just a few minutes ago." Everyone cheered and gave high fives. The door opened at that moment, and in came the green-haired rookie and Haruka.

"Hey, everybody, I brought a new recruit."

"Well now! This should make things livelier!" the redhead exclaimed, giving the blue-eyed girl a stare that made her regret her chosen outfit.

"Hai, I'm ready to join the party." She looked over at the weapons. "Are those for mutant hunting? Can I try one?"

"Sure thing, we were going to do just that." As everyone went outside, the commander came up to the green-haired youth.

"I wasn't informed of her arrival, and you need at least level four clearance to come here." He let his hand fall heavily on the kid's shoulder. "What's the story?"

"She was almost killed by a mutie last night, didn't you notice her bruises? She's a diehard supporter of Jack Stevens, and was itching to get even with the creep who attacked her, so I figured she could come."

"Well, she's easy on the eyes, so I'll cover for you. Just tell me one thing, in full confidence. Did you two…?"

"Umm, if you must know…" The kid scratched the back of his head. "Yes we did."

"I should've known," the commander sighed as he shook his head, "Someday I'm going to find out what's so good about these trading card games."

"I don't see any deer," one of the soldiers noticed in disappointment, "I guess we'll have to settle for the trees." He offered a rifle to the racer. "How about it honey, want to go first?"

"Hai." She picked up the weapon, pretending it was too heavy, and took aim. "All I gotta do it press this thing, ne?"

"The recoil might be a little too much for you," another one said as he put his arms around her. "I'll help you out."

"Umm, arigato, but I can manage." _Why did I have to come up with this plan?_ Haruka took aim and fired hastily. Just as predicted, the force of the blast knocked her off her feet. "Heh, I guess I was a little too much for me." She noticed the frowns surrounding her. "What's wrong?"

"You know, you're acting a bit too klutzy and cute."

"Yeah, and you look strong, the guns aren't that heavy for you." The mob started closing in. "What's the deal?"

"The deal? Well I—" Haruka grabbed the soldier behind her and threw him over her shoulder towards the one in front; a sudden sprint allowed her to sweep a third off his feet, and a fourth was knocked out with an uppercut.

"Bitch!" The commander tried to fire, but his weapon was slashed to pieces and a jab took him out for the count. The melee was short, and soon, the troop laid defeated.

"I agree," Logan began, "last night was beginner's luck, you really are an awful actress."

"Are you suggesting more snarling and drooling?" Haruka retorted, "Come on, let's go inside and see if we can find something useful."

They decided to head straight for the office, the most likely place to find important evidence.

"I never was any good at paperwork," Haruka complained, "I can't tell whether this is a receipt for grenades or laundry. Let's just take the most important-looking stuff back to the school and let Setsuna-san figure them out."

"Hold that thought." Logan went up to a bookcase and started sniffing. "Funny, a lot of people have been coming here, and none of the goons we fought seemed the literary type. What do you think?"

"_Tres cliché_, but it does make sense. Do we pull on the books or look around for a remote?"

"Nah, I'm feeling lazy."

"Likewise," the sand-blonde chuckled, "Uranus crisis power, make up!" The wind senshi gathered her energy. "World shaking!" The feral man went over to inspect before the dust even settled, while Uranus tried to communicate with her ocean princess. "There's some sort of interference. We'll have to go back to the school and tell them about—Nani?" She almost dropped the keys that were tossed at her.

"Jeep's just over the hill, hidden behind a tree," the feral man informed. "You know her quirks, so she won't give you any trouble."

"You're not going in there on your own, are you?" Uranus asked. "There must be ten times as many soldiers down there."

"I can handle it. You go back and let your ball and chain know where you are. I'm going ahead."

"Ball and chain?" Uranus frowned and tossed the keys back. "Michiru doesn't have me wrapped around her little finger." Logan gave a laugh.

"I made that same comment about Jean once. Take that as a warning."

Stevens' H.Q.:

Rogers was looking at his newest acquisition through the 30 inches of tempered glass. Hephaestus was sealed inside a refrigerated chamber, with barely enough oxygen to breathe, let alone ignite.

"Robert Morrison," the gray-haired veteran read the file in his hands out loud. "Problem child, low grades, committed several minor felonies before running away from home at twelve. Presumably mutated at the age of fourteen."

"Do you think he's worth the risk, Sir?" a brunette scientist asked as she checked the monitors one last time, "The other monsters did say he's their leader, he won't be easy to submit."

"I have contacts in Canada. Believe me, he'll be servile before you know it."

"General!" A younger man, carrying a portable TV rushed into the room. "Sir, you better take a look at this." Rogers' eyes widened in shock as he watched the small screen. It was very brief, but he could clearly see the outline of the giant robots. "It's confirmed, Stevens took away and activated ten sentinels without authorization. Furthermore, the computer shows that they were all destroyed."

"THAT FOOL!" Rogers hollered, "What was he thinking? Does he have any idea of what he's done?" He rubbed his neck nervously before giving instructions. "Send a clean up crew and put Jack under arrest, along with all of his—Huh?" An alarm started ringing.

"The temperature's elevating," the young woman said as she checked the monitors, "Impossible! It's much too fast to compensate!"

"Release the nitrogen," the young man rapidly suggested.

"I already have but it's not—!" A tremendous explosion blew the chamber open.

"Unngh." Rogers moaned as he struggled to get up unsuccessfully. His leg was broken and his ribs were completely chattered. Through the smoke, he managed to see the brunette, who lay dead with the left side of her skull crushed by debris; the other man had survived, but not for long. He opened his eyes only to see a brief blue light, the upper part of his body was carbonized in less than a second. "Morrison," the gray-haired man grunted, "you'll never make it out of here."

"This mortal would've corrected you by stating that his name is Hephaestus," the magma-skinned morlock replied as he came closer, "I don't care, none of my kind has ever been given a name." His soon to be victim was confused. "Don't bother, your feeble mind would never understand. All you need to know is that you've been useful; and had you not been so disciplined, you would've lived longer, as my puppet." The morlock's hand turned into a fiery blade, it was the last thing Jim Rogers saw before his head was separated from his body. "Princess Serenity is just within reach, and Charles Xavier will arrive soon." Three small stumps started growing from the magma-skinned morlock's forehead, and the demon within cackled with the thought of godhood.


End file.
